The Masquerade  Chapter 1
by scrubsrocks11
Summary: Are masquerade balls really that bad, well to Sophie they are as she starts college...  All character owned by Granada ;
1. Chapter 1

**The Masquerade – Chapter 1**

Seriously masquerade balls sucked what was the point of them? People just pretending to be someone else for the night Sophie thought. "Jolly ho!" Amber laughed coming over to her roommate. "You're killing me with the English accent Amber." Sophie replied the sarcasm dripping off every word. "Really? Sue said it was awful but if you thought it was funny." Sophie rolled her eyes "Sarcasm are you ever going to get it?" Sophie asked. "Alright alright. Smile Soph and give your face a joy ride."'Sophie gave her best fake smile she had become great at them recently. Or what was it an old friend of her Mums used to say 'it's not a smile, it's a lid on a scream' how accurate.

"Sophie babes why are you not circulating no one will know who you are here tonight so no need to be embarrassed." Ah Rosie her older far more glamorous more popular sister had blessed Sophie with her presence. "Well Rosie unlike like you I came to UCLA to get an education not just a lot of notches on my bed posts." Rosie glared at her little sister. "College is about having fun Sophie I know that is foreign to you but you could at least try." Sophie folded hers arms as if to prove she wasn't going to have fun.

"So this is the mini Webster." Sophie looked over at one of Rosie's followers or WG's (wannabe groupie to you and me), who knew and who cared. "Yes but she is nothing like me! Sophie this is Sian she is a sophomore but rising quickly through the sorority which you still haven't pledged to!" Sophie smiled over at the blonde wearing the cat mask "Sadly yes I am Rosie's sister although I am still convinced I was adopted or hope should I say." Sian threw her head back in a deep laugh. "Your sarcasm I love it, why is your accent still so much thicker than Rosie's?" Sophie has wondered this herself from time to time.

Their Dad had developed some amazing new bit of machinery in his little garage in Weatherfield, Manchester one of the car giants found out about it somehow and before they had time to think about it they were living in Ventura, California, USA. That was 5 years ago Sophie was 13 the perfect awkward age to move and Rosie was 17 and had embraced being a California girl doing her best to dump her mancunian accent. We won't go into the first time Rosie visited the beach with her supposed olive skin than just tans looking at the sun, it doesn't and didn't. Sophie decided to stick with the pale and interesting English rose look.

"OMG Hilary you look bitchin tonight, love the mask." Rosie chatted away to some other random as Sophie slunk further and further into the corner. "So the accents?" Sian had followed Sophie to the corner. "Oh right sorry, well my darling sister embraced California life and I didn't. Also means you can get away with a lot more I find, when you give the wrong answer in class you just blame your accent and that the teacher obviously hadn't understood you. Or a parking ticket, forget about it just mention the Queen bat your eyelashes a bit." Sian gave another deep laugh.

"Soph you remember that guy Derek that I liked well I think that is him over there, well the hair looks the same, wish me luck and don't wait up." Amber waved running off to this Derek guy that Sophie never remembered her mentioning. "Great everyone is getting laid but me." Sophie muttered. "If you're looking to get laid tonight I am sure I can hook you up with someone." Sian offered but was slightly shocked as Rosie had said Sophie was asexual. "Bloody hell! No no no thank you. I was just moaning as in now I am going to have to sleep with my ear plugs in again." Thank god for the mask now I must be the colour of a tomato Sophie thought.

"Ah okay I did wonder. Rosie said you don't date much." Sian remarked. "Well no I don't. I don't have much experience of it and can you imagine growing up in a house with Rosie, a new bloke every week. The one time I did go on a date I could see my Dad, Mum and Rosie's face pressed against the window waving at us."Sophie joined in with Sian's laugh it was contagious. "I'm on the fence about dating around. I mean you have to date around a bit to see what you like, but then you shouldn't force yourself to date if you don't want to you know." Sophie nodded in agreement wishing some of Sian's thoughts would rub off on her sister.

"Here you are hiding in the corner! Did you see the state of Hilary how she ever got into Delta Gamma I will never know. So Soph see any guys you like the look of or want to tap?" Sophie spat her drink out making Sian giggle and Rosie frown. "Tap? What the hell does that even mean?" Rosie rolled her eyes. "Soph we have been living here for 5 years now get with the programme! Translation shag is there anyone here you would like to shag." Sophie was turning beetroot again. "Aw Rosie leave her alone she is only a freshman after all." Sian stepped in sensing Sophie's discomfort. "Thanks, Rosie please just leave me alone to date when I am ready. I am begging you."

"Fine have it your way, I am off to mingle, toddles." With a wave of her hand Rosie was gone with her WG's following as always, well except for Sian. "I am going to go outside and get some fresh air its boiling in her with these stupid masks on." Sophie nodded and followed her outside. "How come you didn't have to follow Rosie and the others?" Sophie questioned. "Once you cut through Rosie's entire BS she is a really great person but I can't be bothered with all the sorority shit and president stuff she does. So we have an agreement that I only attend things I have to." Sophie whistled unknowingly "How did you get away with that, Rosie threatened to smack me into next week if I didn't come to the mixer tonight or pledge to Delta Gamma with her being president and all."

"I'll let you into a secret my older sister roomed with Rosie freshman year and let's just say I have some shit on her she wouldn't want getting out." Sophie could only imagine as it was impossible to embarrass Rosie she had tried. "Really you sister was Carol Powers?" Sophie was surprised as she had met Carol a few times and really liked her, well before the overdose, Sian just nodded and was thankful for the mask to keep her tears from showing. "I am so sorry she was lovely, Rosie tried to get her off the drugs it broke her heart you know when...god your her sister what am I even saying. I am sorry Sian."

"Thanks, it was 2 years ago now but I still miss her, well I will always miss her. I haven't forgiven her for leaving me alone with Mum and Dad, they are crazy." Sian joked trying to lighten the mood. "Not a patch on mine, my Dad spends most of his time in overalls in the garages tinkering with his latest car gadget and my Mum is busy social climbing. The best part of it is my Mum with her new snooty friends they can't understand a word she says, forty odds years in Manchester has left her and my Dad with thick accents. She even tried elocution lessons but the teacher said she was beyond help, I laughed my ass off at that one."

"Oh and she googles everything, she has an iPhone and half way through a conversation she will just put her hand up that means she is googling and you are not to talk to her. As crazy as they are I really miss them especially my Dad he is class." Sophie felt embarrassed now gushing about her parents at her first college party. "That's great I wish I got on with my parents I am dreading having to go home for Thanksgiving, never really got along with them before Carol...and now well it's just hell to be honest." Sophie smiled at Sian trying to cheer her up. "There you are hot stuff." Some guy grabbed Sian from behind kissing her neck, he was a big brut of a thing.

"Hey sorry I was just chatting to Sophie here, this is Rosie's little sister." The brut detangled himself from Sian and extended his hand. "Hey I am William West star quarterback of the UCLA Bruins." Sophie thought her hand was going break in his shake. "Hi William lovely to meet you." William was now paying Sophie no attention and was focused on Sian, pulling her mask off to kiss her; Sophie felt awkward and looked down at her feet. "Will we are in public." Sian squirmed out of his kiss. "Just wanted to kiss you hello, I will leave you to it. Beer Pong has my name all over it. OH YEAH!" Just as quick the brut was gone again after savaging his woman.

"Sorry about that, we have only been dating a couple of weeks not even exclusive. But when we are out at Delta Gamma and Sigma Phi mixers he just likes to make sure everyone knows I am with him." Sian explained somewhat embarrassed. "Kind of like peeing over you, you know like a dog would to mark its territory." Sophie joked looking up. "Ha ha that is it exactly." Sian noticed Sophie had also taken her mask off, she was beautiful not unlike her sister but more classy looking and those deep blue eyes just drew you in. "Sorry that was a bit rude wasn't it." Sophie blushed looking for the first time at Sian without her mask she was gorgeous and she guessed a typical Californian blonde (although she never understood that description) but with the most amazing blue eyes and the smile it could kill you.

"Just realised this is the first time we have seen each other without our masks." Sian grinned over to Sophie. "I know weird I would have walked straight past you on the quad tomorrow otherwise." Sophie held eye contact that bit too long with Sian causing her to look away. "I better at least make an effort and find my sister before she hunts me down again." Sophie smiled pulling her mask back on again. "Nice talking to you Sophie I am sure I will see you at the Delta Gamma house, or around the campus at some point." Sophie nodded as they took one last long look at each other before heading off into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

The Masquerade – Chapter 2

"I see you managed to hook up with Derek last night then?" Sophie raised her eyebrow at her roommate that was crawling in at 7am doing the walk of shame. "Yes and my god is he good..." Sophie raised her hand. "Thanks Amber that is about all I need to know thank you." Amber laughed she loved her prudish English roommate she was easy to make blush. "So how was the rest of the party?" Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "You know me, did some shots, shook my wild thang on the dance floor, Rosie was well impressed." Amber pulled a face. "So basically you came back here about midnight and sat reading a book?" Sophie nodded dam she knew her well.

"Soph it was our first big mixer you should have loved it, and hello your sister is president of the flipping sorority that we are pledging to." Amber stuck the radio on and danced along making Sophie groan. "I thought we agreed no music until midday." Sophie complained. "Stop being such an old fuddy duddy and come dance with me." Amber danced on over to Sophie pulling her out of bed. "If it is good enough for Christina on Greys Anatomy to dance things out it is good enough for us, now come on!" Sophie sighed and got up shuffling round their room. "You do know Christina isn't a real person don't you... see I am waving my hands around like I just don't care."

"Good night last night eh Sian?" Rosie wriggled her eyebrows at Sian as she came down the stairs in the Delta Gamma house. "Huh?" Sian was still half asleep, regretting the vodka jelly shots from last night, not a morning person, not had her coffee and did she mention not a morning person. "You and William I saw him leaving this morning." Rosie smacked Sian on the ass to show her approval. "Ergh Rosie it is too early in the morning for me to be discussing my sex life with you." Sian sunk her head into her hands as she waited for the coffee to brew.

"If you were first up this morning why didn't you put the coffee on?" Sian moaned in desperate need of some caffeine. "I am English I make tea, do you want a brew?" Rosie still loved her tea first thing in the morning white one sugar. Sian shook her head causing her eyes to roll in her head. "Sophie is a lot more different than I expected." Rosie spun round. "What do you mean I told you she had found god, doesn't drink, doesn't dance, doesn't date, and doesn't have fun. How was that different to the person you met?" Sian poured her coffee out it was finally ready.

"I don't know she is a lot funnier that you give her credit, and she only had good things to say about you, cut the girl some slack." Rosie sipped at her tea. "I love my sister trust me I do, but she is so serious all the time. I think I got all the fun genes and she got all the boring ones. Until last year she counted me Dad as her best friend." Sian glared over to Rosie. "What is wrong with that I think it is cute." Rosie's face lit up, this was never a good thing Sian had discovered. "Well as you think Sophie is so much fun I am going to assign her to you during hazing!"

"Really? Rosie I thought you agreed you weren't going to assign anyone to me?" Rosie clapped her hands together. "I know but I can't not give you any chores it would be suspicious. I let you off with murder as it is! All you have to do is pull you puppy eye face at me just like Carol and I give in." Sian smiled Rosie really had looked after since Carol's death. "I learnt from the best! Fine you did say Sophie was a shoo in anyway so I guess I can hang with her." Rosie kissed Sian on the cheek. "Thanks Sian just make sure she attends all the social functions I will sort out everything else."

Sophie was running late for class, it freaked her out she was never late for anything, stupid 8am class. Amber had turned her alarm off as she wanted a lie in. "Sophie, Sophie wait up." Sophie spun around wondering who was calling her name her only friend here was still in bed. "You move fast when you want to." Sian joked catching up with Sophie. "Oh hi Sian, sorry I am running late for class, my alarm never went off." Sian looked at Sophie she was all flustered. "I will be quick Rosie has assigned you to me during hazing week, so drop by the house after class." Sian ran off before Sophie could respond. "Assigned what am I an animal?"

"Tardiness will not be tolerated in my class." Professor Winston shouted at Sophie and a few other late comers. "I am here on time I expect you to do the same!" Sophie pulled a face "What a grouch." She muttered under her breath. "Ha ha I know he is famous for being grumpy." Sophie looked up at the voice "Hi I'm John McCallum." Sophie shook his hand "Sophie Webster." Without noticing Professor Webster had walked up the stairs and was now by Sophie. "I do apologise Miss...?" Sophie looked up taking a gulp. "Erm...Webster." Professor Winston twisted his face. "Well Miss Erm Webster this is not speed dating ding here goes the bell move on. Interrupt my class again and you will be removed, understand?" Sophie going several shades of red simply nodded.

"Sophie sorry about that I didn't see him coming up the stairs." John said after class. "It's my own fault I should have been on time." Sophie was mad at herself for getting on her Professors bad side so early in the term. "Well let me buy you a coffee to make up for it." John smiled showing Sophie his dimples. "I really should get started on this paper but why not." Sophie thought she could pop in and see Sian after at the house. "Great let's go then." John smiled again.

"Hey is Sian here?" Sophie asked one of the girls than answered the door. "Sophie I am in the kitchen come on through." Sian shouted. "Soph babes you are late." Rosie chastised as Sophie joined them in the kitchen. "Sorry I thought I only had to come by after class, didn't realise there was a set time." Sian waved her hand "There was no set time Rosie is just being a pain." Rosie pulled a face at Sian. "So what held you up were you chilling with your homies?" Sian snorted as did Sophie. "Rosie we have discussed this and I thought we agreed you were never to use that saying again." Rosie stuck her tongue out at Sian.

"No I went for a coffee with a guy from my English Lit class, John McCallum I think he said his name was." Sophie fiddled with her phone. "Shut the fuck up!" Rosie laughed. "What? Is it that surprising I would go for a coffee with a boy?" Sophie feigned being upset. "No it's just that John McCallum is THE hottest freshman this year, all the other top colleges were after him to play basketball but he came here. Soph I underestimated you snagging that honey, bravo!" Sian felt sorry for the awkward Sophie at the table looking so shy. "Rosie she had hardly snagged him it was only coffee after all."

"Yes but Sian we know what coffee leads to, little Soph is yet to dip her toe in..." "In the dating pool." Sian leapt in worried with what sexual innuendo Rosie was going to come out with the girl was sex mad. "Dating pool? No I was going to say sex pool. Dating pool? Who says that Sian?" Sophie covered her face in horror. "Whilst this is great fun being humiliated about my lack of sex life can we please go over whatever it is that I have to be here for?" Rosie was looking up at the ceiling she did this when she was scheming and Sian couldn't help but worry Sophie was her latest victim.

Clearing her throat Sian started "Well as you are assigned to be during hazing next week I just thought we could go over your timetable for when you are free." Sophie was still eyeing her sister but pulled her timetable out for Sian to check over. "Rosie Webster you are amazing. Sophie to start you off right at college we need to make sure you are only dating the crème a la crème of men and John McCallum is a great way to start. I will throw a party here on Friday night and you can bring him as your date to kick off hazing week." Rosie jumped up and down in excitement. "Hilary meet me in the boardroom." Rosie screamed up stairs leaving Sophie and Sian to it.

"Do you really have a boardroom here?" Sophie asked surprised. "Yes we do, Rosie sits at the top like Dr Evil in Austin Powers ordering about all her WG's." Sian winked. "How did you know about the WG's tag?" Sophie hoped Sian didn't think she was calling her one. "You told me last night made me laugh. Anyway by the looks of it Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays are best for you and me." Sian looked up to see Sophie wasn't really listening she was chewing on the end of her pen with a worried look on her face.

Sian reached across and took Sophie's hand in her own gently rubbing her thumb over the top. "Hey don't worry about Friday, just because Rosie jumps into bed with anything that moves doesn't mean you have to okay. I promise I will look after you." Sophie locked her eyes onto Sian's just like she had done the night before neither of them looked away as Sian continued to caress Sophie's hand. "All set girlies Friday Haze is on! Sophie I will have to do a makeover on you obviously." Sian pulled her hand back as soon as she heard Rosie's voice. "Great sounds great Sophie I will see you tomorrow?" Sian leapt up. "Rosie please don't do this to me." Sophie groaned.

"Sian here I am reporting for duty." Sophie smiled seeing Sian relaxing in the living room. "Hey less of the reporting for duty or I will report you to Rosie for being cheeky!" Sian laughed. "Sorry please don't report me to Rosie she has been torturing me since yesterday wanting to know what I am going to wear." Sophie threw herself down next to Sian their legs touching. "Sophie you will look gorgeous not matter what you wear, you have a real class about you." Sian could see Sophie blushing at her compliment and wished she could pull her words back in.

"Anyway let's go upstairs I have to talk you through the rules and all that boring shit, its quieter up there so we will get it done quicker." Sophie followed Sian upstairs unable to keep her eyes off Sian's bum and the way it swayed she shook her head to clear it causing herself to trip up the stairs taking Sian out with her. "Oh my god sorry I always have been clumsy." Sophie leapt up off Sian pulling her up to her feet. "No harm done, chill Sophie you're acting like you're on a first date or something." Sian threw back her head for another one of her amazing laughs Sophie just giggled along like an idiot.

"See that didn't take so long did it." Sian smiled throwing the Delta Gamma rule book over to Sophie. "I meant to say when we came in your room is so cool. How did you manage to get in here?" Sian shuffled forward on the bed. "Rosie sorted me out only Juniors and Seniors are supposed to here really, she told me you didn't want to live here?" Sophie shook her head. "No I just wanted a bit of space out of my sisters shadow, bit stupid coming to the same college I guess."

"Not really the best idea I guess." Sian agreed. "I know what Rosie thinks of me and my religion and stuff but I am not boring I am just shy, and get really nervous at social things. Its fine for girls like you and Rosie you just walk in and the whole room takes notice." Sophie picked at a hole in her jeans. "Hey I think it's great you have your own interests and you don't follow the crowd. Following the crowd has only ever got me in trouble and my sister dead." Sian didn't know what it was about Sophie but she just felt she could be so open with her, probably because she was Rosie's sister.

"I guess but she mocks my vow and calls me a God Botherer, saying I will be a virgin until I am 30." Sophie blushed she never discussed her vow with anyone. "What is this vow exactly?" Sian was intrigued. "Well it just means I won't have sex until I get married." Sophie said proudly. "What? How the hell are you going to keep to that?" Sian blurted out shocked and instantly regretting it by the hurt look on Sophie's face. "Sorry Sophie it just kind of slipped out. I mean look at you, you must have guys hitting on you all the time."

"Not really as Rosie I am sure has told you I don't really go out much. It means a lot to me to save myself for marriage." Sophie was trying to hide her hurt at Sian's reaction. "God if I was saving myself until I was in love I think I would die a virgin. I am incapable of being in love. Have you not even come close?" Sian asked. "No one has ever managed to hold my attention for long enough, I will know when I meet the right person. We will just click." Sian was slightly worried at how black and white Sophie saw the world. "Fair enough, kind of like us just clicking?" Sophie nodded. "Exactly but just as friends of course." Sian smiled at her new naive friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Masquerade – Chapter 3**

"Rosie can you please just leave me alone, it was just a coffee and I really don't see why I have to attend this stupid party and wear that excuse of a dress!" Sophie was stuck in hell, the hell that is her sister's bedroom going over what she was going to wear to the Daze Party the next night. "Soph my social midget of a sister. As a Webster there is a certain standard that people expect of you, socialising with only the best, dating the best and looking your best." Sophie rolled her eyes wondering if Rosie ever listened to anything she said.

"Whatever Rosie, look how do you even know John will want to take me?" Even though Sophie hated this whole dating thing even she had to admit John was handsome, she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and checked it.

_Thanks for the invite I would love to be your date, let me know what dorm your in and I will collect you at 8pm. John x_

"ROSIE! Why do I have a text from John when I don't even remember texting him?" Rosie laughed. "Have you still not learnt not to leave your phone lying around in front of me? I text him for you, your welcome." Sophie was perplexed she could feel her face going red as it always did when she was angry or embarrassed she hated how her emotions were so readable. "Oh chill out Soph, anyway back to this dress I think you will look hot in, just go and try it on." Rosie threw the dress at Sophie.

Sian could hear Sophie shouting at Rosie from her room and decided to investigate how Rosie was torturing her little sister now. "Oh god sorry I should have knocked." Sian apologised having walked in on Sophie stood just in her underwear, Sian couldn't help but notice what an amazing figure Sophie had, she looked like she could have been on the front of Sports Illustrated. Sophie went red again for the second time within the last two minutes making a grab for the dress. "Don't be silly Sian we are all girls, come on in. I am trying to help Soph find something to wear for tomorrow night."

"Rosie?" Rosie could someone shouting her name from downstairs. "Sian help Soph out with the zip please, I will be right back." Sian could feel her throat go dry and swallowed hard as she walked towards Sophie. "Turn around and I will zip you up." Sophie turned around as she was told, Sian leaned in she could smell the coconut shampoo Sophie used on her hair, her heart was racing as she shakily pulled the zip up. "Okay, let's take a look at you." Sophie spun around to show Sian the dress.

"Wow Sophie you look gorgeous." Sian meant ever word; it was a simple black dress high at top but very short showing off her legs, and clinging in all the right places. "Do you really think so?" Sophie asked not sure and pulling uncomfortably at the dress. "Yeah just imagine high heels and some earrings and a nice necklace to brighten it up a bit. Seductive but classy." Sian laughed. "I'm still not sure, I think I look silly." Sophie hunched her shoulders forward in defeat feeling uncomfortable.

"Trust me Sophie you look great." From behind Sian circled her arms around Sophie's waist and pulled the dress down to sit better she looked into the mirror to catch Sophie starring at her again. "Thank you." Sophie whispered still looking at the mirror, Sian rested her chin on Sophie's shoulder and smiled loving how comfortable this all felt. "Soph, OMG you look like a mini me!" Rosie clapped her hands together walking into the room causing Sian to jump away from Sophie like she had burnt her.

"Ladies we have a lot to sort before tonight so get all the pledges in to help, you all know what you have to do." Rosie finished off the meeting and headed into the kitchen for some tea. "Will you be bringing William as your date tonight?" Rosie asked looking over at Sian reading a magazine finishing off her morning coffee. "Not sure I think I am done with him." Sian admitted. "You get through men quicker than me at the moment, have you met someone else already?" Rosie was impressed. "Yes well no. I don't know I am confused if I am honest."

Sensing some gossip Rosie sat herself down next to Sian. "Oh do tell." Rosie smiled. "Well there is someone that I can't get off my mind but I don't think they feel the same. Well I know they don't. And it is someone I should not be dating in a million years." Rosie raised her eyebrow. "Forbidden fruit my favourite kind, well I think you should just ask them, plenty of other blokes that would kill to date you Sian so I wouldn't worry." Sian rubbed at her forehead wishing it was just a guy problem. "Maybe your right, I don't know I could have misread the signals." Rosie had never seen Sian confused in her love life before she was a love them and leave them type.

"Well he must be someone very special to have you all tied up in knots." Sian nodded knowing that much was true. "No this one is too forbidden." Sian whispered under her breath noticing Sophie walk into the kitchen. "Hey Sian, Rosie. Pledge reporting for manual labour." Sophie did a salute. "Very funny Soph, go and see Hilary she has all the assignments, when you are done come and see me so I can get you ready for tonight." Sian never took her eyes off Sophie as walked out of the kitchen. "So this forbidden fruit do I know him." Rosie asked getting back on topic.

"Huh?" Sian was in her own Sophie induced dreamland, she shook her head trying to remove Sophie from her mind, what the hell was going on she wondered having such thoughts. "The forbidden fruit." Sian looked up panicked was Rosie reading her mind. "What no, no why would you think that. I like boys, guys, men even!" Sian jumped up pushing her sleeves up. "Are you drunk or just suffering from too much caffeine, what are you on about?" Rosie scrunched her face up. "Nothing sorry late for class, I will see you later." Sian ran out of the kitchen as fast as she could leaving a concerned Rosie behind.

Sian took her time coming back from class she thought the walk might help get her head straight, straight what a great choice of words. It was times like this Sian missed Carol she could always talk to her about anything, usually she had already done it herself anyway Sian smiled thinking about some of the stuff her sister used to get up to. She needed to talk to someone but whom? Rosie was a definite no no, as were most of the girls at the house they would blab. Sian noticed one of her kind of exes Jim walking towards her, great today just gets better and better.

"Hey hot stuff, fancy a repeat of last month?" Jim winked grabbing Sian in a hug. "Hi Jim, sorry no I am seeing someone else now." Sian was looking over his shoulder for someone anyone to rescue her, god it must have been very poor cinema lighting when she hooked up with this moron. "Your loss baby, are you going to be at the party tonight?" Sian nodded through a thin smile. "Maybe you might be more interested later?" God he wasn't giving up this one. "Hey Sian, found you at last." Sian snapped her head around it Sophie.

"Sophie!" Sian tried to hide the surprise in her voice. "Hey baby who are you?" Jim winked at Sophie his afternoon just got a lot better. "I am Sophie Webster, and you are?" Sophie wondered who this twat was. "Very pleased to meet you and a Webster none the less. I am Jim Carney you may have heard of me." Sophie kept a straight face "No." Sian snorted with laughter next to her. "Oh well I will see you two beauties later, I will look for you later." Jim gave his best smile. "I would rather you didn't." Sophie replied as she grabbed Sian to walk away.

"Sophie!" Sian was still laughing. "Sorry he looked like he was annoying you, and then he started to annoy me." Sophie laughed along with Sian at her bluntness. "See I told you the English accent lets you away with murder he probably thought I was flirting with him." Sian laughed even harder now. "Ah so when you are being rude to me you are flirting is that it." As ever when she was with Sophie Sian was unable stop words tumbling out of her mouth. "Ha you wish!" Sophie laughed bumping her shoulders into Sian. "I gotta run see you later." Sian was even more confused now sure that Sophie had just flirted with her.

"Sophie babes you looking A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!" Rosie stood back from her masterpiece. "Yeah Sophie you look great." Amber Sophie's roommate agreed she had never really seen Sophie dressed up before. "Thanks Rosie I don't look as much like a transvestite as I thought I would." Rosie rolled her eyes. "Right I will see you at the party girls." Rosie waved leaving Sophie waiting for her date. "You're really lucky to have Rosie as your sister." Amber sighed wishing she had a sister instead of three brothers. "Yeah she's not all bad I guess." Sophie mumbled taking in her reflection in the mirror, she had to admit Rosie had done a great job. "Ooooooo he is here!" Amber jumped up hearing the knock at the door.

"Hey John." Sophie smiled opening the door. "Wow Sophie you look wonderful." John smiled giving Sophie a single rose and kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you for the rose, very romantic of you." Sophie smiled. "No problem, are you ready to go?" Sophie nodded making a grab for her handbag. "See you there Amber." Sophie shouted over her shoulder as she took John's arm shutting the door. "I heard about your run in with Jim Carney yesterday." John laughed at Jim moaning about some English bird that had cut him down; John knew straight away it had to be Sophie. "Yeah well he was pissing me off."

As Sophie and John arrived at the Delta Gamma house party John could feel Sophie stiffen next to him. "You okay?" Sophie nodded. "Sorry I am just really shy at these things so if I bore you later I won't be offended if you want to leave early." John smiled with his dimples again. "Sophie trust me you could never bore me." Sophie smiled maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all. "Soph babes welcome to the night of your life!" Rosie squealed embracing her sister in a hug. "John how lovely to meet you, Soph has told me all about you." Sophie raised her eyebrows at her sister she had barely mentioned John to her.

"And Sophie has told me a lot about you." John smiled politely at the older Webster. "Soph, John this is Rick my date for the evening, say hello Rick." Rosie pulled some poor bloke over; he was the usual football stud that Rosie went for all looks no brains. "Hi Rick." Sophie and John chorused together and then burst out laughing much to Rosie's annoyance. "Well ma chasa a so chasa." Rosie smiled standing to the side guiding them into the living room. "What did your sister just say?" John asked confused thinking it might be an English thing. "Just nod, smile and walk away. Trust me it's the only way to survive Rosie."

Sian had spent the afternoon brooding to herself in a coffee shop on campus, she had eventually come home to get ready after giving into William to be his date for the night. "God you sleep with a guy and all of a sudden they think they are your boyfriend." Sian moaned at her reflection in the mirror whilst doing the finishing touches to her makeup. "Hey pretty lady." William smiled taking in Sian's beauty. "Since when did you watch One Tree Hill?" Sian rolled her eyes at the bad pick up line. "I don't I was just giving you a compliment." William tried to act dumb it wasn't hard.

"Hmmm well let's get down to the party shall we?" William moved towards Sian searching for a kiss. "How about we have our own private party up here first?" Sian dodged William's advances she was no way near drunk enough for that yet. "Maybe later Rosie will kill me if I don't get downstairs soon." Sian lied. "Okay but later then?" Sian gave her best plastered on smile, much like Sophie she was getting very good at them. "Let's wait and see okay." Sian kissed him on the cheek and pulled him out of her room by the hand.

As Sian made her way down the stairs she could hear Sophie laughing, she loved the way she laughed it was very loud and distinctive. "Hey Sophie having a good time?" Sian asked approaching the brunette from behind and enjoying the view. "Hey you, yes just laughing at something Rosie said. You look beautiful tonight Sian." Sian could feel herself blushing at the compliment. "As do you Sophie, you should let Rosie help you more often. Not that you don't normally look nice but you look extra nice tonight." Sophie frowned and then smiled at Sian babbling like an idiot in front of her. "Thanks I think, Sian this is John my date." Sian felt like giving him the UPEE (Ultimate Powers Evil Eye her and Carol came up with it between them) but instead smiled and shook his hand.

Rosie stumbled over to Sian who was hiding in the kitchen. "What is up with you?" Rosie questioned Sian knowing she wasn't herself. "Huh I'm fine just not really in the party mood." Sian had a clear view of Sophie from here and could see her flirting with John. "For someone that doesn't know how to flirt she suddenly got very good at it." Sian muttered under her breath. "Is it to do with the forbidden fruit?" Sian tore her eyes off Sophie to look at Rosie. "You could say that yes. I think I just need some more vodka, vodka is our friend after all." Sian raised her glass to Rosie's and downed her shot in one. "God Rick is so dumb but at least he is easy on the eye. Where is William?" Rosie wondered. "Oh he is playing beer pong." Sian replied not really interested. "What not in my sorority house!" Rosie shouted running off.

On the dance floor the slow songs had come on as the night was winding down. One of Sian's favourite songs came on U2 'All I want is you'. "Wanna dance?" William asked Sian nodded taking his hand as the song started up. Sian noticed Sophie and John take to the dance floor as well, Sian was thankful the vodka was beginning to take affect so William didn't seem so bad. As the song repeated 'you...all I want is you' Sian couldn't take her eyes off Sophie, she looked up and caught Sian's eye and smiled sweetly. Sure vodka was great but it also made Sian's emotions ten times worse, if she was happy she would become delirious with joy, when depressed she thought the world was going to end, when seeing the person she wanted to be dancing with dancing with someone else it also made her heart break a little.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Masquerade – Chapter 4**

It had been three weeks since the Friday Haze party and Sian's moods were getting worse Rosie noticed. She went from really happy one minute to grumpy the next, the only person she seemed to cheer up for Sophie. "Soph babes have you noticed Sian behaving differently?" Rosie asked as she made her sister a cup of tea. "No not really, but she is more your friend than mine." Sophie shrugged not thinking anything of it. "She is really moody with me and most of the girls in the house, and for a girl that hates exercise she has taken to running a lot." Rosie carried on rambling as they sat down. "Did she get dumped?" Sophie asked.

"No Sian always does the dumping, she has been on more dates this week than I have all month, it's like she is trying to forget something or someone." Rosie suddenly remembered the forbidden fruit. "Are you sure you're not reading too much into everything?" Sophie knew Rosie loved to create drama. "The forbidden fruit of course!" Sophie frowned at her sister. "You going to enlighten me?" Rosie nodded. "Sian was talking to me about someone she really likes but she couldn't have them as they were like a forbidden fruit, I bet that is what this is about." Sophie was more interested now. "Hmmm I will see if I can find anything out later during our pledge meeting.

"How is John babes doing?" Rosie smirked as her sister went red. "He is fine thank you." Sophie squirmed on her chair. "Have you shagged him yet?" Rosie blurted out. "No I flaming haven't, I have a vow!" Sophie wondered if her sister knew her at all. "Okay okay I thought you had grown out of that." Sophie rolled her eyes. "You don't grow out of your vow Rosie. Just because you have no morals." Rosie blew a raspberry at Sophie. "Real mature Rosie." Sophie got up to leave having had enough of Rosie for one day. "Mum wants you to call her; she said you haven't called home in a week." Rosie sighed. "Fine goody two shoes I will call her later."

"Hey Sian wait up." Sian closed her eyes recognising the voice and hoping it wasn't Sophie, she had to prepare herself for their meetings so bumping into her was not good. "Hey Sophie, everything okay?" Sophie nodded. "Yeah fancy grabbing a coffee I have an hour to kill between class?" Sian did her best fake smile. "Sure sounds great." The girls walked towards Sian's favourite coffee house, she hid out here a lot and the waitresses all knew her order. "So how are things with you?" Sophie asked trying to sound normal. "Sophie you are as bad as Rosie just ask me what you want to know." Sian had always enjoyed a blunt and open friendship with Rosie well except for her current secret.

"Sorry I was trying to sound easy and breezy, guess I failed." Sian snorted with laughter. "You sound like a Cover Girl advert. And yes you did fail." Sophie smiled. "Okay Rosie said you haven't been yourself recently she is worried. Mentioned something about a forbidden fruit?" Sian's mind started racing dam Rosie and her big mouth. "I'm fine really, just got some stuff to work through that's all." Sophie wasn't convinced. "You can talk to me you know Sian, I'm not like Rosie I can keep my mouth shut." Sian sighed sure I will just tell you that I think you're the most gorgeous girl I have ever laid eyes on, just looking at you sends my heart on a rollercoaster ride, because of you I now think I might be gay oh and did I mention I think I am falling in love with you.

"Sian?" Sophie waved her hand in front of Sian. "Sorry I was miles away, what were you saying?" Sian asked trying to focus on Sophie's face and not look at her lips, her cleavage come on that top is just asking you to look; back to the real world Sian she shook her head again. "I was asking you about the forbidden fruit." Sian looked around for an escape. "Look there is just someone that I like that I can't have." Sophie nodded now they were getting somewhere. "Why can't you have them?" Sian tapped her leg under the table. "Well they are involved with someone else now and also I don't think they would be interested in me. Plus they are a friend as well."

Sophie couldn't imagine anyone not being interested in Sian. "Oh well them being involved with someone else explains the forbidden fruit angle. So you were interested in them before they got involved with someone else?" Sian was still tapping her foot under the table. "Yes I guess so, but not knowingly or maybe it was we kept having moments. And then when sh...he started dating someone I got jealous. Shit I don't know I am a mess I struggle to be around this person because I become some babbling idiot, and I am scared I will just blab it out." Sophie could feel Sian's feet dancing. "Well no offense Sian but you babble when you are around me, ha ha is it me you fancy. How weird would that be ha ha."

Sian thought her heart had stopped Christ the universe was being mean today making her run into Sophie, wearing that top teasing her and now Sophie mocking her that it would be weird if it was her she fancied. "God no, you know me I like my MEN!" Sophie laughed. "I was only joking Sian." Sian looked up at Sophie. "I know sorry it's just my head feels like I am in a tail spin, I think I have fallen in love with them." Well at least she was being kind of honest. "Oh I thought you were incapable of love." Sophie recalled Sian's comment from weeks ago. "I thought I was as well, incapable I mean." Sophie gently touched Sian's knee causing her to jump knocking the coffee's over.

"Sorry you made me jump." Sian tried to hide her nerves she hated the affect Sophie was having on her. "Sorry I didn't mean to. I was just trying to stop your foot tapping. It seems to me you have two choices either tell him how you feel or bury your feelings." Sian agreed she just wished it was that easy. "You're right I am just going to bury my feelings. I will be fine, thanks for the advice but I really must get going." Sian jumped up and ran out of the coffee house. Sophie wondered what Sian meant about how she babbles in front of the guy she likes, Sian was always babbling to her she thought it was her normal behaviour.

As Sophie and John walked hand in hand coming back from the cinema Sophie couldn't believe how lucky she was meeting such a great guy already. "So Sophie we have been dating for 3 weeks now, I was just wondering if you wanted to make us exclusive." John asked with a nervous look on his face. "Exclusive?" Sophie was still confused with all the American terminology for dating. "You mean going out with each other?" Now John was confused. "Okay as in boyfriend and girlfriend not dating anyone else exclusive." Sophie smiled how cute was he, not that she was dating other people or anything.

"I would like that." Sophie squeezed his hand as John leaned in closer to kiss her. "My parents are coming into town next weekend will you be around to meet them?" John wanted to show Sophie off to his parents. "Your full of questions tonight aren't you." Sophie joked. "Sorry too much too soon?" John was worried he was coming on too strong. "No I would love to meet them." John kissed Sophie again. "You know now we are exclusive you are always welcome at mine." John smiled his dimple smile at her. "I know I am, same with you." Sophie hit her silly boyfriend laughing.

"No I mean as in staying the night." Sophie felt her heart drop, she was about to go from elation to dumped in about 30 seconds she thought as she started to speak. "Well I have a vow that means I won't be having sex until I am married." There she had said it and was now trying to read John's face for his reaction. "Oh I know you said you wanted to wait but I didn't think you meant that long." Sophie could feel John slipping away as he dropped her hand. "Sorry I guess I should have been more up front with you." John kissed Sophie on the cheek. "No it's fine look I just remembered I have a Sigma Phi meeting I have to get to, I will call you tomorrow."

Before Sophie had the chance to say anything else he had run off. "Flipping great Sophie nice one!" She moaned herself. "Your back early thought you had a date with John tonight." Amber questioned when she saw Sophie come back into their room. "I did but he took off saying something about a meeting. I think I blew it with him." Amber came over to join Sophie on her bed. "Why what happened?" Sophie kicked off her shoes. "Well he wanted us to be exclusive and then mentioned about me staying over." Amber nodded for Sophie to continue. "I told him about my vow and he got all funny about it." Amber felt for Sophie she really did.

"Soph I'm sorry but a guy like John can get sex on tap, he isn't going to wait around for a girl with a vow no matter how great she is." Sophie felt irritated. "Well he can't like me that much then if all he wanted was sex." Amber shook her head. "Sophie most normal couples have sex in a relationship it's going to take a special guy that is going to be willing to wait." Sophie started putting her shoes back on again. "What so I am not normal just because I won't jump into bed with someone, you, Rosie, Sian you're all the same!" Amber reached out to her friend. "Soph that's not what I meant." Sophie was on her feet heading for the door. "Forget about it this abnormal looser is going for a walk."

Sian was brooding in her room again it was her favourite hobby now it seemed. Sian had already been for a run earlier to try and get rid of some of her frustrations about her feelings towards Sophie. Dating anything that moved hadn't helped her forget about Sophie so now she was studying and searching for the most depressing songs on YouTube to keep her company in her sad state. "Rosie?" Sian could hear Sophie's voice from across the hall she sounded upset, don't go out there Sian thought to herself knowing Rosie was out on a date so it was a wasted trip for Sophie.

"Sian?" Dam it Sian sighed hearing Sophie knocking on her door; she would see the light under the door and hear her music so she couldn't ignore her. "Come in its open." Sian called out; Sophie pushed the door open and walked in slowly. "Hey Sophie what brings you here at this time?" Sian asked trying to sound surprised. "I came to see Rosie but she isn't in, I just need someone to talk to." Sophie looked at Sian with sad eyes. "What's wrong?" Sophie sat on the bed as Sian turned her desk chair round to face Sophie keeping a safe distance.

"It's John he dumped me because I wouldn't sleep with him." Sophie sniffed trying to control her tears. "Aw Soph I'm sorry. Well he is scum for not knowing how great you are." Sian walked over to Sophie and wrapped her arms around her. "Amber said I was abnormal that I should expect this." Sophie continued to sniff sadly. "Well Amber is a fool. Sophie you are amazing and your vow is so important to you, I am proud of you for sticking to your principles a lot of girls wouldn't." Sian could place herself firmly with the girls that wouldn't pile.

Sophie continued to softly cry as Sian held her. "Ssshh Soph he isn't worth it. I know it doesn't seem like it at the moment but you will meet someone else, someone that deserves you and loves you." I love you Sian swirled around her head, I wouldn't make you cry like this, I would treat you like the goddess that you are, Sian became aware Sophie had said something but she hadn't been paying attention, shit. "Do you think he thinks that as well?" Sophie looked to Sian to reassure her questions; dam why can't she concentrate on the here and now Sian chastised herself.

"Sian?" Sophie realised Sian had spaced out to Sian world again. "Sorry Soph all I know is that John is a fool and he will realise it soon enough. Do you want a cup of tea? Rosie said that is what you guys always do during a crisis?" Sian said trying to get a smile out of Sophie, it worked as she nodded. "Okay you stay here and I will bring it up for you." Sian kissed Sophie on the head and headed downstairs. "It's fine Powers you can handle this." Sian knew she was going mad she was after all talking to herself in the kitchen.

"Soph, this will make you feel better." Sian carefully balanced the try as she made her way back into her room. Sian sighed when she noticed Sophie was fast asleep on her bed, she put the tray on her desk and went over to Sophie she looked so peaceful there was no way Sian was going to wake her up. Instead she put a blanket over her and lay on the bed next to Sophie watching her sleep. Well she was screwed now, according to the genius that was Dawson's Creek (Carol had got her into the DVD box sets one summer) when you watched someone sleeping it meant you truly loved them, oh god what am I going to do Sian wondered watching the object of her affection sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Masquerade – Chapter 5**

Sophie woke up to find herself in Sian's bed she must have fallen asleep here last night. Sophie looked over at the sleeping Sian, even in her sleep it looked like she had something on her mind. For someone that apparently is incapable of love she certainly seems to have fallen hard Sophie thought. "SIAN!" Rosie screamed as she walked into her friends room shocked to see Sophie there as well. "Mumph fumb." Sian mumbled into her pillow at Rosie shouting her name.

"Soph babes what are you doing here?" Rosie was confused. "I got dumped last night and came looking for you, but I chatted with Sian and must have fallen asleep." Sophie explained to her sister noticing she must have just come home judging by the Wonder Woman costume she was wearing. "Oh babes what happened?" Rosie came running over to give Sophie a hug. "Well he dumped me because I wouldn't sleep with him." Sophie sadly admitted knowing what Rosie's point of view on the situation would be.

"Move over Sian." Rosie moaned nearly pushing Sian out of her own bed as she climbed into the middle of them. "Soph he is an idiot okay, if he can't see how important your vow is to you then you shouldn't waste another moment on him. If something is important to you that should make it important to him. You deserve better." Rosie gave Sophie a kiss on her head as cradled Sophie in her arms. "Really? I thought you would have sided with him." Sophie sheepishly admitted.

"Would you two shut up!" Sian moaned. "Soph babes I will always be on your side, your my sister. Should I get him blacklisted as revenge? Oh shut it Sian." Sophie giggled at Rosie and Sian snipping. "No I am just chalking it up to experience thanks though Rosie." Sophie was surprised at her sister's response but glad for once she was wrong. "Look it is what...7am in the freaking morning, shut up or get out." Sian threw her phone on the floor after she had checked the time.

Rosie snorted with laughter. "Sian is not a morning person as you might have noticed. Let's leave sleeping ugly to it and have some tea." Sophie nodded following Rosie out of the room. "Rosie why are you dressed Wonder Woman?" Rosie did a twirl going down the stairs. "Because I can Soph, because I can." Sian breathed a sigh of relief at Sophie and Rosie leaving she had only gotten to sleep about two hours ago; it had been torture having Sophie so close to her all night.

"Soph there you are, I have been worried, and where did you stay last night?" Amber jumped from her bed seeing Sophie enter their room. "Sorry I meant to text you, but I fell asleep before I got the chance I stayed at Sian's." Sophie threw herself on her bed. "I am sorry about last night Soph I never meant you were abnormal, I just got tongue twisted." Sophie sat up to look at Amber she could tell she was sorry but before she got the chance to say anything there was knock at the door.

"John?" Sophie said stunned as she opened the door. "Hi Sophie can we talk?" John looked very serious. "Erm sure let me just grab my phone, two secs." Sophie shrugged her shoulders at Amber's confused face and went out the door to John. "I am so sorry about last night Sophie, I was an idiot. It just took me by surprise that was all but it still didn't give me the right to behave the way I did." Sophie carried on looking straight ahead as they walked. "I think it is great that you have something that you believe in so much. I respect you Sophie and I am asking for another chance here."

Sophie stopped walking to look at him for the first time. "Why the change of mind?" Sophie challenged. "I came to my senses, look I don't know if we will get married but I would like to get to know you better, if you will give me the chance." John knew he had the best puppy dog look going he learnt it from his brother and the girls always fell for it. "Okay I will give you another chance but this is it, okay." Sophie warned but was so taken in by his sad face she couldn't say no not really and leaned into John's kiss.

"Can you believe that dickhead John!" Rosie complained to Sian who had at last appeared downstairs, she lifted her hand up to Rosie's face as she headed over to the coffee. "Are you about to Google something?" Rosie laughed thinking of her mad Mum. "God you Webster's have to be the most infuriating people in the USA!" Sian muttered sitting down. "Bit overdramatic Sian, nice to see you in your usual good morning mood." Sian rolled her eyes. "So what are we going to do about Soph and John we have to teach him a lesson?" Rosie was plotting her revenge. "It's not any of my business Rosie." Sian scratched at her head.

"Of course it is! Sophie is your friend and also your pledge so you of all people have to take action. I will put a blanket ban on any girl from Delta Gamma dating him." Rosie smiled to herself relishing her power thinking she was prime minister or something. "Are you talking about Sophie and John McCallum?" Hilary asked hearing the end of the conversation, Rosie nodded. "Just saw the two of them making out near the Primrose Dorms so I guess they got back together." Sian spat her coffee out as this development and looked up to see the disgusted looks of Rosie and Hilary.

"Sorry forgot to put sugar in it." Sian explained. "What? What is my little sister up to?" Rosie was on her feet looking for her mobile to call her. "You okay Sian; you're not looking too good?" Hilary asked. "Yeah I am fine just got a lot of school work on at the moment, gets you down after a while you know." Hilary nodded knowing that wasn't the real reason; Sian had gone from one of the nicest coolest girls in the sorority to a moody mumbling mess. "Well if you need help studying let me know." Sian smiled and left the kitchen to get back to her room.

Sian walked into her room and burst into tears, Sophie was back with John. She didn't know why she was surprised. "What did I think was going to happen she was going to realise she loved me." Sian scoffed picking up a photo of Carol and starring at it. "I miss you, I can't believe it is nearly 2 years since you...well left I guess." Sian sat down on her bed still gazing at the photo of her and her sister taken about week before she died. "I am drowning here sis and I don't know what to do. You're the only other person I ever loved as we know Mum and Dad aren't the most loving of people. I just need some help the urges we used to talk about, I think they are coming back...I'm scared." Sian could see her tears falling on the photo as she quietly wept.

"Hey Sian, thanks so much for the other night." Sophie smiled at Sian. "Not a problem I didn't really do anything." Sian grinned back. "I can't believe this is our last pledge meeting, you never need to spend any time with me after today." Sophie joked. "Thank god I thought I was going to be stuck with our forever." Sian laughed. "Hey, I know you don't mean that you would miss me too much." Sian nodded wishing Sophie only knew how true those words were. "I'm not sure I might have more self confidence without being picked on."

"That is my way of showing affection when I take the piss, look at me and Rosie." Sophie looked over to Sian she still seemed distant somehow. "So kind of like the playground pulling hair and stuff." Sian winked. "I guess so yes. Did I tell you John wants me to meet his parents this weekend?" Sian could feel herself stiffen at the mention of his name. "Oh really so you guys are fully back on then?" Sophie let out a happy smile titling her head to the side day dreaming.

"Yes I really really like him Sian. I know I should be careful but the heart wants what the heart wants." Sian thought she was going to vomit rolling her eyes. "Sophie we need to concentrate on this pledge stuff to get it done. And you know I don't do romance so save the mushy stuff for Rosie eh?" Sophie felt a bit deflated she thought Sian would be happy for her. "Sorry Sian okay let's get this finished off I have a date with John tonight."

"My parents loved you Sophie, but then I knew they would." John smiled kissing his girlfriend. "Good thing you were there to translate for your Dad I think he thought I was speaking a foreign language at times." Sophie joked. "He struggles to understand me at times I wouldn't worry about it." Sophie was surprised how well the lunch had gone, she had been nervous beforehand but they were so nice she soon relaxed. "So I was wondering if you wanted to spend Thanksgiving weekend with us at the end of the month."

Sophie knew Thanksgiving was a big thing over here, the Webster's still didn't get what all the fuss was about. "That would be great; I don't think my parents will mind me not being with them as we don't really celebrate it." John pulled Sophie into another kiss. "That is awesome! I can't wait to show you off to my high school friends, show them the sophisticated brit that I am dating." Sophie smiled again, since their little disagreement John had been wonderful and so attentive she was sure she was falling in love with him.

"Soph babes I can't believe you are leaving me alone with the old farts for Thanksgiving." Rosie moaned at brunch with her sister. "Sorry Rosie but when John asked so sweetly I couldn't say no." Rosie stared at her sister she had changed she couldn't put her finger on it but something was different. "Hmmm I wasn't even going to go home but now I can't get out of it. So how does it feel to be a full member of the Delta Gamma's at last?" Sophie smiled nicely for Rosie's sake. "Great, Sian was really good with all the pledge and hazing stuff so it was a breeze. Have you seen much of her recently?" Rosie shook her head.

"No she is seeing some new guy and spending a lot of time with him. I think he used to be friends with Carol actually. I always thought he was gay but obviously not." Sophie missed seeing Sian she had barely seen her the last two weeks. "I'll have to give her a call I miss her." Rosie loved Sian like her own little sister sure she was mouthy and grumpy but she had promised Carol she would look after her and this was one promise Rosie wasn't going to break, so the fact Sophie and Sian got along so well made Rosie very happy.

"So you and John is it serious?" Rosie blunt as ever. "I think so, I mean we have been dating for 6 weeks now and I do really like him." Sophie admitted. "Is the vow still an issue, I mean be honest are you finding it hard to stick to it?" Rosie winked causing Sophie to go several shades of red. "No the vow is not an issue and I am doing fine controlling my urges thank you." Rosie smiled. "Ah I know what you mean Soph, because god doesn't watch you when you're on your own." Sophie tried to figure out what Rosie meant and then it clicked. "Ew Rosie no!"

Sian was downing another shot of vodka round at Brett's place, he was an old friend of Carol's a dangerous friend but an old friend none the less. The perfect companion for wanting to block things out and that is what she was trying to do. How could she have fallen in love with Sophie and so easily god she had only known her just over 2 months. And I don't do love she kept reminding herself, it was fine if she just stayed away from Sophie then her feelings for her would fade and she could get her heart and mind back again. No one understands me I am alone all alone.

"Brett you're out of food, I will be back." Sian pointed over to Brett who was lying on the floor out of it as some of his friends carried on partying around him. Sian staggered out to the 7/11 on the corner for some chips and dips or candies just something to eat and help soak up some of the alcohol. "Fucking hell!" She cursed sending a display flying as she tried to walk into the shop. The owner came out to take a look at her. "Miss I think you should leave your drunk." Sian blinked trying to get her eyes to focus on the man. "I am fine, I want food." The man moved closer to her. "Get out you is making a mess!" He hated the college students coming in drunken causing trouble.

"Seriously all I want is some chips, please?" Sian didn't think that was an unreasonable request as she leaned on the counter knocking more stuff over. "I am calling security." The owner shouted hoping she would just leave. "Call security sees if I care. I have five no sorry four fingers did you know that?" Sian was staring at her hand like it was the most amazing thing ever. "I wonder how many toes I have." Sian on the floor and kicked off her converse to check. "Ten on each foot! Who knew? No wonder I have such big feet, it's kind of gross actually." Sian was seeing double she smiled up to the man that was on the phone before she passed out.

"Ow!" Sian moaned as she felt someone kick her in the side, "Jesus Sian get up. You're just lucky I have given campus security some sexual favours in the past or you would have been arrested now get up!" Rosie knew Sian liked to party but this was a scary sense of déjà vu from Carol, seemed both Power sisters had a self destruct button. "Shauna you take the other arm will you, one, and two, three up we get." Rosie thanked the owner again and promised Sian would never visit again.

"Rosie I have never seen Sian like this before." Shauna looked worried and with good reason Rosie thought, she had to drag her vice president out of class with her to try and keep this as quiet as possible. "I know it's not good, look we will talk to her when she sobers up, until then there isn't much else we can do." Shauna nodded but much like Rosie the similarities between Sian and her sister Carol were getting scarily closer.

Sian woke up a few hours later with her head resting on the toilet bowl and to find Rosie and Shauna staring at her, this could not be good. "She is awake at last, feeling good are we Sian? Here is some water we will meet you in your room in a second." Sian just nodded trying to get up. "Sian I don't need to tell you that being drunk at 8am in the morning is not a good sign. Let alone nearly being arrested for trashing a 7/11 what were you thinking?" Rosie was mad Sian could tell. "Do you have any idea what the Dean would say if he knew about this and the affect it would have on Delta Gamma's?" Shauna joined in.

"I'm sorry okay." Rosie signalled to Shauna to leave them alone. "Sian maybe it's time you went to rehab or something?" Sian swallowed back tears of hurt. "Rehab nice Rosie, real nice. I fuck up once and now I am alcoholic." Rosie sighed. "No I didn't say that I am worried, you have been drinking a lot recently you have to admit." Sian looked at Rosie shaking her head. "At least Brett remembered." Rosie was confused and now also mad. "Brett you have been seeing Brett!" Rosie was pacing to control her anger.

"After everything with Carol you know he sold her the drugs that killed her, you idiot Sian what are you thinking!" Sian just wanted to roll up in a ball and hide away from the world she didn't need Rosie shouting at her. "Okay I'm stupid I just wanted to block it out, this is killing me I don't know what to do." Rosie sat next to Sian on the bed. "I can't help you if you won't talk to me." Sian wanted to tell Rosie the truth but she couldn't she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. "Fine Sian don't talk to me but considering this your final warning."

"I am still in shock about Sian; I just can't imagine her behaving like that." Sophie admitted to John. "Well the Powers are well known around campus for heaving partying, I remember someone telling me that addiction seems to run in the family. When her Dad came here he was a big drinker but obviously managed to control it." Sophie didn't know what to make of things. "But you would think with her sister it would make Sian more aware of her demons should we say." John loved how naive Sophie was in the world she was so innocent.

"Yes but it depends how strong you are fighting them I don't think this is the first time Sian has struggled." Sophie wondered how John was so knowledgeable on all things Sian and her partying. "How do you know so much?" Sophie asked. "My brother was in the same year as Rosie and Carol before he transferred or dropped out should I say." John knew it wasn't public knowledge his brother dropped out but he didn't think Sophie would say anything. "Anyway I can't believe its Thanksgiving next week." John smiled.

"What's the date today?" Sophie asked. "16th November, why?" John was confused. "Shit! Of course sorry can I rain check on lunch?" Sophie kissed John on the cheek and ran off before he could say anything. Sophie pulled out her phone to call Rosie. "Rosie...do you know what the date is today?...16th November...oh shit exactly...I'm on my way...see you in a minute. Bye." No wonder Sian was out of it last night today was the anniversary of Carol's death.

"Sian I am so sorry." Sophie said not bothering to knock and just walking into her room with Rosie hovering outside. Sian looked up through her tears to see Sophie she shut her eyes hoping it was just a dream. "Come here." Sophie scooped Sian up into her arms on the bed. "How did you remember?" Sian asked. "I don't know you must have told me or something either way you shouldn't be alone today." Sian felt so safe in Sophie's arms she burst into tears again crying for Carol and her aching heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Masquerade – Chapter 6**

'_At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day. Others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men, at war with good. And some are good, struggling with evil. Six billion people in the world. Six billion souls. And sometimes...all you need is one.'_

Sian sighed turning the TV off, all you need is one yes just that one. It was now March nearly 4 months since Sian's mini break down and final warning from Rosie. Sian had tried to calm down her drinking so had taken to watching reruns of One Tree Hill, she was sure it was better when she was younger. Sian was doing her best to avoid Sophie as much as possible but the girl was like an addiction she always wanted more. Sian hated John because he got to spend time with Sophie, hold her, kiss her just spend time with her in a way Sian never would.

"Sian it's a Friday night what are you doing in?" Eleanor asked noticing the light on in Sian's room as she walked past. "Well it appears I am on my final warning here and so early in the year I thought I had better calm down." Eleanor rolled her eyes. "I think someone has been spending too much time with a certain sarcastic freshmen." Sian smiled. "I just thought it wouldn't do me any harm to have night in front of the TV that's all. Why are you in?" Eleanor joined Sian on the bed. "Ben and I broke up." Sian's eye bulged in shock Ben and Eleanor had been together for 2 years everyone thought they were going to get married.

"Oh I'm sorry." Eleanor shrugged. "We just fell out of love no one's fault." Sian was surprised how well Eleanor was taking it. "What are you watching anyway?" Sian looked at the TV. "Old One Tree Hill reruns." Eleanor laughed. "I used to have the biggest crush on Chad Michal Murray." Sian laughed as well now. "No comment from me." Rosie came into to see what the laughter was about. "What are two of the hottest girls at UCLA doing sat in on a Friday night?" Eleanor went first. "Well I have just apparently been dumped." Sian smiled and then spoke. "And I apparently have a drink problem."

Rosie rolled her eyes. "Sian are you ever going to get over that?" Sian laughed she loved watching Rosie squirm, once she realised the significance of the date Rosie had been great and really supported Sian. "I will let you know when you are forgiven." Eleanor giggled. "Right come on we are going out, its ladies night at that bar in town." Sian was not looking forward to this. "Great and as I am under 21 I won't be able to drink." Eleanor and Rosie both nodded at the same time and high fived each other "Designated driver!"

Sophie had an amazing time with John at his parents' house over Thanksgiving it scared her almost how quickly she had fallen in love with him; they spent as much time together as possible. Tonight they had decided to go out for some drinks, John had hooked them both up with fake ID's. Oddly then ended up in a bar on ladies night, but a lot of John's fraternity brothers were here on the pull so she supposed it did make sense. "You okay honey?" John asked checking on his girlfriend. "I am now your back." Sophie smiled kissing John.

"Oh crap." Sian moaned spotting the happy couple in the bar. "What's eating you?" Eleanor quizzed noticing the face Sian was pulling. "Nothing just an ex I could do without seeing." Which wasn't a total lie as Sian also just spotted William as well. "You'll be fine Sian come one let's say hi to Sophie." Rosie grabbed her arm pulling her in the one direction she didn't want to go in. "Soph babes how are you? Hang on is that alcohol in there?" Rosie quizzed John with a glare. "Yeah you drink as well so what's the problem?"

"The problem John boy is that Sop here is underage as are you do you want me to report you?" John glared back. "Since when were you such a killjoy? For god's sake you have Sian with you she is a human vodka vacuum! And you're having a go at us for having a few." Sophie had never seen this side of John before. "Hey calm down sweetie, let's just make these our last." Sophie jumped in trying to calm the situation she saw the hurt on Sian's face though. "I'm outta here I don't need this shit Rosie." Sian turned and pushed her way out of the bar.

"Sophie are you coming with us?" Rosie asked looking from her to John. "No I will leave with John thanks Rosie." John cockily smiled knowing he had won. "You may think you're all that John boy but be sure I am watching you." Rosie whispered in his ear as she left with Eleanor to look for Sian. "I don't like him." Rosie snapped at Eleanor. "He doesn't seem the nicest of guys, smarmy almost. I don't remember him being like that in the beginning." Rosie agreed. "He wasn't and I don't like the trance he has Sophie under, I will talk to her tomorrow, let's try and find Sian for now."

"I know we have only been dating for 6 months but I really do think your are the one for me Sophie." Sophie felt like she was going to float off her chair. "I love you John." Sophie smiled kissing her boyfriend for the hundredth time that night. "I love you too Sophie and one day I plan to make you my wife." John deepened the kiss as the guys around him cheered them on. "So we are kind of engaged to be engaged." Sophie giggled feeling a bit drunk. "Yes you could say that." John rubbed his nose against Sophie's. "Let's get out her." Sophie happily followed John out the door.

Sophie slowly opened her eyes the next morning god she felt rough blinking trying to get her bearings. Where am I she wondered not recognising the room she was in as she sat up she realised she was topless as the duvet tumbled forward. "What the?" Sophie lifted the duvet to realise she was in fact completely naked. On the pillow next to her was a note from John.

_You were amazing last night babe, never knew you could be such an animal, call you later John x_

Sophie suddenly felt vomit rising up in her she gulped down some water she found next to her. "Oh my god, I couldn't have? I don't remember?" Sophie's head was spinning she needed to get dressed and figure out where the hell she was. Sophie slowly opened the door to realise she was in the Sigma Phi house she slowly crept down the stairs hoping to god she wouldn't see anyone. "Sophie Webster tut tut doing the walk of shame." William laughed. Sophie tried to keep her tears in and just carried on walking head held high and out the front door.

Sian could see her phone buzzing with a text she looked with one eye, William what the hell did he want. She rolled onto her back and read the message.

_Just saw Sophie Webster doing the walk of shame this morning, seems the Webster sister are more alike than we first thought. Call me._

Sian sat bolt upright in bed. "What the fuck?" she flung her duvet off her and ran into Rosie's room wishing she had knocked by the view she received, covering her eyes "Rosie! Rosie wake up." Sian moved closer to the naked Rosie lying in a star fish position on top of her bed face down. Sian threw a book at her friend. "What the fuck?" Rosie snapped rolling over to see who was throwing things. "Rosie I beg you please roll back over I do not need to see you in all your glory." Rosie shrugged. "Liking what you see are you Sian?" Rosie was very proud of her figure.

"Rosie just cover up." Rosie pulled a dressing gown over herself. "Fine I am covered up what's the problem?" Sian passed her phone over to Rosie to read, Rosie threw the phone across the room in bad temper. "Hey that is mine." Sian shouted running to retrieve her now in bits phone from the floor. "Where is Sophie now?" Rosie asked jumping around looking for some clothes. "What about her vow? What was she thinking? And with him?" Rosie was talking to herself as Sian had run back to her room to get dressed as well.

"Okay where do we think she could be?" Rosie asked meeting Sian coming down the stairs. "Erm how about just calling her?" Sian suggested. "Brilliant brilliant idea Sian!" Rosie grabbed her phone out of her pocket and called Sophie. "Went straight to voicemail dam it. I have a bad feeling about this." Sian agreed it did seem out of character for Sophie. "I will try her dorm room and you check the coffee house on campus she might have gone there." Sian nodded and ran to campus.

"Sophie, Sophie!" Rosie banged on the door. "Rosie?" Amber asked half asleep to find her roommates sister madly banging the door. "Is she here?" Rosie asked storming into the room without being asked. "No she never came home last night." Amber shrugged. "If she comes back here get her to call me ASAP or better still you call me or text me." Rosie threw her business card at Amber and waltzed back out the door. Rosie tried calling Sian who was also now not picking up; Rosie decided to head to the Sigma Phi house to find John.

Sophie stood starring at her phone in shock, surely it must be a mistake, some sort of crossed wires or her day had just got a lot worse, she reread her text from John.

_It's been fun Sophie, but I don't think you and I are working out, it's not you it's me. Hope we can still be friends. John _

Without realising it Sophie had ended up at the coffee house she remembered Sian saying she hid in when she wanted to escape, if ever there was a time to escape for Sophie it was now. "Erm a skinny latte please?" Sophie ordered her drink and then stumbled along to the seat in the corner the best place to hide. Sophie just couldn't understand what had happened in the last 12 hours. She was pretty sure she must have slept with John the fact she woke up naked and his note, but she didn't remember it and now he had dumped her. Sophie stopped holding back the tears and sat hunched crying quietly to herself.

"Soph?" Sian placed her hand gently on Sophie she knew she would be here for some reason. "Are you okay?" Sophie still never looked up too embarrassed obviously her conquest from last night was now public knowledge. Sian kneeled down in front of Sophie and took her hands in her own wiping the tears away with her thumb. "Ssshhh Soph your okay, I've got you." Sian squeezed on the sofa next to Sophie and just held her like Sophie had done for her a couple of months previously. "Let's take you home hey?" Sian helped Sophie up never letting go of her.

Sian got out of Sophie what had happened on the walk back to her dorm room and seen the text John had sent her, Sian was going to hunt him down and kill him. Sian had told Sophie to take a shower and go to bed leaving her with Amber to look after her. Sian had called Rosie with the update and they were meeting outside the front of the Sigma Phi house ready for John to show up. "When I get my hands on the little fucker I am going to kill him, I am going to pull his balls off and make him swallow them!" Sian ranted as Rosie looked on. "Sian I think you need to calm down. Leave it for me to handle okay." Rosie had never seen Sian so mad.

"Is Daniel Cole here?" Rosie asked walking into the house, one of the guys went to fetch him leaving Rosie waiting. "Rosie always a pleasure what can I do for a fellow president." Rosie kissed Daniel on the cheek. "Well it seems we have a situation with one of your freshmen brothers." Sian was still pacing outside when she spotted him across the road with another girl and was sprinting towards him before Rosie could stop her. "You son of bitch! Do you have any idea what you have done? You have broken her I swear to god I am going to kill you." Before Sian could so anything else Rosie was holding Sian back. "Sian leave it he's not worth it."

As Rosie pulled Sian to the side to calm her down she saw Daniel walking across the road towards them. John turned around to smile at his president thinking he was coming to his rescue instead Daniel knocked him out with one punch. "Listen and listen good, if I hear you have been near Sophie Webster again or you pull that trick with another girl you will have more than a broken nose to deal with." Daniel gave him a kick in the side to make sure the message was clear. "Ladies." He smiled dipping his head and walking back across the road leaving John crying on the ground.

"Let's go." Rosie dragged Sian away and headed towards Sophie's dorm. "Rosie how the hell did you get the president of the Sigma Phi to punch one of his own?" Sian was gobsmacked. "Daniel has a younger sister a similar thing happened to her I remember him telling me could have killed the guy for hurting his sister so much. He is a real gentleman, we have an agreement between us if any of us behave badly we as presidents have to deal with it. That is why I had to give you a final warning back in December as Daniel is mates with the guy that runs the 7/11 it swings both ways." Sian had never heard about this agreement before but was impressed with Rosie's dealing of the situation.

Sophie was still crying in bed when Rosie and Sian came back. "Soph babe you won't be hearing from him again okay, I have taken care of it." Rosie rubbed her heartbroken sisters shoulder. "I just don't understand one minute we were in the bar and then the next thing I remember is waking up naked in a bed." Sophie was shaking and obviously in some sort of shock. "I'll make some tea." Sian smiled at Rosie. "What do you mean you don't remember, are you saying he drugged you?" Rosie asked thinking this changed things entirely.

"I don't know Rosie, I know I had a few drinks but I literately don't remember anything." Sophie tried wiping her tears away as new ones fell. "Okay Sian is making you some tea I will back in a bit okay." Sophie nodded sadly as Rosie kissed her. "Sian I think the bastard might have date raped her. I am going to get one of those testing kits you can get from the medical centre. Don't tell Soph I don't want her more upset okay." Sian nodded trying to take in what Rosie just told her. "Soph here is your English builder's tea, clever huh and you think I never listen to what you say." Sian smiled trying to cheer her up.

"Why did I do that was so wrong for him to dump me? He told me last night he wanted to marry me. How could I be so stupid?" Sophie sobbed again. "Hey you didn't do anything wrong all you did was love the guy, Sophie you are amazing, beautiful, honest, loving, kind, cheeky everything you could ever want in a woman. Please don't let one fucker like him make you think otherwise." Sian pulled Sophie into her arms as she leaned back against the head board, eventually Sophie's tears stopped and she managed to dose of to sleep.

When Sian saw Rosie come back with the test she gently moved away from Sophie. "Well?" Rosie shook the test in front of Sian. "She just needs to pee on it and then it will tell us if there are drugs in her system." Sian's eyes flashed with anger again. "John Glirit mortin hed sarma shinem!" Rosie looked at her friend. "What the hell did you just say?" Sian smiled despite the situation. "My great grandmother was Armenian it means I'll make sarma with your penis skin." Rosie was still confused. "And sarma is?" Sian thought how best to describe it. "Just picture egg rolls and you will get the idea." Rosie laughed at this new side she was seeing to her friend she liked mad Sian.

"If he has drugged Soph then you will be behind me in line making egg rolls with his penis!" Rosie walked over to Sophie and gently shook her awake. "Soph babes I just need you to do something for me?" Sophie sat up rubbing at her eyes. "I need you go and pee on this stick it's just precautionary okay so don't panic I just need to check something okay." Sophie knew what the test was she remembered Rosie regaling their Mum with a story involving these tests. "Okay." Sophie took the test and came back in handing it over to Rosie as she got back into bed with Sian's arms around her.

Five long minutes passed as they waited for the results, Rosie went over to check the results against the pamphlet the nurse had given to her. "Rosie? What does it say?" Sian asked nervously not sure she really wanted to know with Sophie still shaking in her arms. Rosie turned around...


	7. Chapter 7

**The Masquerade – Chapter 7**

"Well hello there Mr Bin how you doing?" Sophie sniggered waving her hand over the bin again. "See he just talked to me!" Sophie again waved her hand at the bin but this time lost her footing and stumbled into the table. "Soph babes calm down no more vodka for you." Rosie softly told her sister off. "Twist don the bin, yeah." Sian mumbled through her arms. "What? Don't even get me started on you Sian." Rosie smacked her hand on the back of her head. "Ouchy! That not nice Sian not likes." Sian moaned sitting up at last. "Ha ha you got told off. Would you look at that bin it's amazing!" Sophie again started waving her hand at the bin. "For fucks sakes Sophie it's an automatic bin it's really not that special. Sian just go to bed your pissing me off. In fact take Sophie with you as well." Rosie waved her hands at the pair of them. "With pleasure." Sian smiled and winked at Sophie and she grabbed her hand leading the younger girl upstairs.

Rosie starting cleaning the kitchen after the mess they had left trying to cook bacon sarnies. "What is our president doing cleaning the kitchen? Am I dreaming?" Eleanor joked taking in Rosie wearing rubber gloves. "I'll give you two guesses but I know you'll only need one."'Rosie fumed filling up the dishwasher. "Sophie and Sian?" Rosie nodded. "I don't know what to do with them after all that John mess Sophie seemed to be doing okay. I mean she did just drink too much and I thought she had learnt her lesson. But now Sian has fallen off the wagon again and is pulling Sophie down with her." Eleanor sat down next to Rosie and rubbed her arm. "Rosie they are hardly out of control, okay maybe they aren't the best influence on each other...and yes I know its 4pm on a Thursday but still." Rosie wondered when she became the old fart here in the last 2 months she had twice had to clear up the mess these two left.

"Rosie are you okay?" Eleanor asked looking over at Rosie. "Yeah why would you ask?" Rosie shrugged off her concern. "You just don't seem yourself. It's like someone flipped a switch the last month or so and transplanted you into Sophie's body and hers into yours." Eleanor laughed but was being serious. "Just lots of study this being my final year, having to worry about finding work you know the usual stuff." Rosie lied. "Well as long as you're sure?" Eleanor pushed one last time. "I'm sure." Rosie didn't make eye contact, no one could ever know she could barely look at herself in the mirror, let alone if anyone found out.

_

Sophie woke up with that awful dry feeling in her throat she tried to move to get some water but couldn't as Sian had flung her arm over her there was no way for her to move without waking her. "Sian move I need to get up." Sophie gave her a gentle shove. "Humph mugh fump." Sian mumbled and rolled over. Sophie quietly stumbled for the door and snuck out coming face to face with Rosie. "Shit you scared me!" Sophie moaned at her sister. "Where are you going?" Rosie asked worried it was now 11pm. "Just getting some water, I'm thirsty okay Mum!" Sophie sarcastically replied rolling her eyes. "Soph babes we need to talk." Rosie was very serious all of a sudden. "What's wrong?" Sophie asked sitting on the stairs. "You." Rosie replied honestly.

"What do you mean?" Sophie was confused. "Soph babes I want you to enjoy college life we are nearing the end of your first year and my final year and you are not the same girl that started UCLA. Where has she gone?" Rosie had sat and watched on the sidelines for too long and it was time she said something. "Of course I am, I'm still me Rosie." Sophie's head was starting to bang now. "I wish you were, I miss my god bothering little sister. This party girl isn't you, I know you want Sian to like you and you look up to her but Sian has her own demons to fight. I love Sian don't get me wrong but I think you should spend less time together. The two of you combined is not a good mix." Sophie just stared at her sister. "Rosie what the hell are you on about? So I've chilled out a bit this year I've not hurt anyone or done anything wrong. Well apart from John he was an epic mistake but that's it. I love Sian and I will spend as much time with her as I want to." Sophie stood up and shrugged off Rosie's hand to continue her way to the kitchen.

"Soph you really need to take a step back from Sian, for your own good." Rosie replied. "Rosie I don't know what is wrong with you but Sian is OUR friend." Rosie nodded. "I know, I know but promise me you will make an effort to get to know some more of the other girls." Sophie nodded just to get Rosie off her back. "Fine but I am not dropping Sian, we just clicked. I wouldn't have got through the last few months without her." Sophie admitted. "I know Soph, I just wish I could have been here for you more." Rosie was lost in her own thoughts again. "Rosie you have been great, honest. But I can't always stay with you can I. So I share with Sian she makes me feel safe. I know it's stupid but I like knowing she is next to me." Sophie wasn't sure what she just admitted then and decided to carry onto the kitchen before Rosie picked up on it.

"No." Rosie half shouted at her sister. "What? Rosie what is wrong with you?" Sophie snapped spinning round with her eyes glaring. "I think we should go and visit home this weekend it would be nice to see the old farts again." Rosie was pleading. "Rosie have you gone insane we finish college for the year in a month why would we visit them now?" Rosie could feel the tears springing in her eyes, she had to keep it together. "I just don't want you to make the same mistakes as me." Rosie collapsed down on the stairs again. "What mistakes? Rosie you are talking in rhymes and not good ones, just talk to me." Rosie shook her head closing her eyes. "I can't nobody can ever know."

"What are you two arguing about down here?" Sian asked scratching her head as she appeared from her room. "Nothing it doesn't matter. Sian just go back to your room this doesn't concern you." Sian had never seen Rosie like this before something was definitely up. "Of course it concerns me the Webster's are my favourite family so spill." Sian plonked herself down next to Rosie. "I don't want to talk about it now, I promise I will one day but for now...I just can't." Sian just nodded knowing there was no point in pushing someone to talk if they weren't ready. "Sian, Rosie and I are going to visit my parents this weekend you should come." Sian's face lit up. "Really? Are you sure Soph?" Sophie nodded, since the John thing she had spent as much time with Sian as she could, she felt safe and comfortable with her, she didn't know how to describe it and it was silly but somehow Sian completed her. Rosie sighed and stomped up to her room.

_

"Mum, Dad, were home!" Sophie shouted walking into the family living room. "Sophie my baby." Sally screamed grabbing her daughter in a bear hug. "Where is Rosie?" Rosie hovered by the door. "Rosie come here you daft mare!" Sally laughed grabbing at her other daughter. Sian had been hiding behind Rosie and now felt very uncomfortable gate crashing the family weekend. "And who is this?" Sally asked seeing Sian. "I'm Sian, Sian Powers, I'm friends with Rosie and Sophie at UCLA." Sian croaked out nervously.

"Powers, as in Carol Powers?" Kevin asked appearing behind Sally. Sian nodded making eye contact with Kevin not knowing what he was going to say. "I'm sorry Sian." Kevin walked over and pulled the young girl into a hug, he remembered seeing her at the funeral and his heart broke for her. "Oh." Sian said shocked, her Dad had never hugged ever even at Carol's funeral he kept his distance. "Carol was wild but she had a good heart." Kevin smiled winking at Sian. "Erm thank you Mr Webster." Sian half smiled as Sally then moved in for a big hug. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last." Sally smiled. "Whenever I speak to Sophie all I hear is Sian this Sian that." Sophie could feel herself blushing. "Mum!"

"Here Sian do you know what happened with Sophie and John?" Sally giggled as she said John. "One minute it was all John this John that and then he was never mentioned again. Here are you and Sian dating you talk like you are." Sally laughed again this time looking at a mortified Sophie. "Mum! Could you be any more embarrassing, John and I just didn't work out. And no gross I am not dating Sian we are just mates." Sian felt like someone punched her but kept smiling politely. "Sorry Mrs Webster Sophie wouldn't tell me either." Sian replied glaring over at Sophie for putting her in this position.

"Better to concentrate on your studies anyway Soph. Right I am going to run down the offy what does everyone want? Sian? Your Mum can order the pizza." Sian was confused what did you get from an offy? "Erm no I am fine for paper thank you Mr Webster." Sian smiled happily working out he meant the office. "Paper? What?" Sophie cracked up with laughter as Sian went red in the face. "Well I am, I brought my note pad with me." Sian answered slowly as the Webster's continued to stare. "Notepad?" Rosie was doubled over in laughter now. "Girls don't be mean, he means the office license Sian, do you want any wine or anything?" Sally smiled sweetly.

"Oh sorry, I thought you meant the office." Sian started laughing as well at her daftness. "I'll get a couple of cans and some wine." Kevin waved running out the door as Sophie ran after him. "I'll come too Dad wait up." Sophie missed her Dad and loved spending time together just the two of them. "So what really happened with John?" Kevin asked looking over to his youngest with concern. "He just wasn't right for me. I think I just got caught up in the excitement of UCLA. I was stupid." Sophie said sadly. "Hey you are not stupid. Never think that Soph, you are amazing and I love you." Kevin grabbed her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze.

_

"Rosie what are you doing sat out here?" Sian asked seeing Rosie sat at the end of the garden on her own. "Soph is making us play Jenga and if I have to play so do you." Sian smiled. "Have you ever been so lost? Or made such a mess of your life there is no coming back?" Rosie asked looking up at her friend. "Rosie I can't help you unless you tell me what the problem is." Sian sat down looking concerned at her friend. "I can't tell you, I can barely believe it myself. Just promise me you will look after Soph for me next year. And calm the hell down, don't be stupid like me." Rosie was being serious her eyes pouring into Sian's. "Of course I will look after Soph, you know I will. Rosie are you okay? You know you can talk to me right?" Rosie chewed on her lips and nodded. "Okay let's play bloody Jenga."

"Ha ha Rosie is a looser, looser!" Sophie squealed in delight at Rosie knocking over the tower again. "As much fun as this is I am off to bed." Rosie kissed everyone goodnight and went to bed. Sally and Kevin had gone into the kitchen to do some cleaning up leaving Sian and Sophie alone to pick up the bricks. "I don't know about you Sian but I am buzzing off too much wine." Sophie smiled as she crawled around on her hands and knees looking for bricks, Sian wasn't paying attention and spun round head butting Sophie in the process. "Shit sorry Soph." Sian apologised lifting her hand to rub at Sophie's forehead gazing into her eyes, Sophie didn't look away. Sian moved closer so her mouth was mere millimetres away from Sophie's mouth.

"Have you two not finished picking them bricks up yet?" Sally chuckled coming into the living room herself a bit drunk. "Who even invented Jenga anyway?" Sian asked tearing herself away from Sophie, Sally put her hand up to Sian. "Hang on I'll Google it." Running off to get her iPhone. "Now you've done it." Sophie smiled over to Sian wondering what the hell had almost happened between them. "Mum I'll help you." Sophie called going after her Mum. Sian sighed leaning back against the sofa, she didn't know what Rosie was lost about but she knew she was lost over Sophie.

Since John and the test coming back negative Sophie had been all over her like a rash. Sian couldn't get breathing space anywhere she was being suffocated by her love for Sophie. In the course of one day Sophie could break her heart with a stupid remark and then make her heart soar just by smiling at her. At least with summer coming up she could have some space and try and get over Sophie, she obviously didn't feel the same, except just then did they almost kiss didn't they? "It's not fair." Sian huffed to herself twirling her wine glass in her hand.  
"It never is Sian." Kevin smiled looking over the blonde. "Ha ha sorry Mr Webster I didn't see you there." Sian felt stupid for the second time tonight. "So how long?" Kevin asked leaning back in his chair. "Sorry, what do you mean how long?" Sian asked confused. "How long have you been in love with Sophie?"

_What is troubling Rosie? How does it affect Sian? Why is Rosie trying to keep them apart? What will Sian say to Kevin? All will be revealed next time on...The Masquerade Part 8..._


	8. Chapter 8

The Masquerade – Chapter 8

"So how long?" Kevin asked leaning back in his chair. "Sorry, what do you mean how long?" Sian asked confused. "How long have you been in love with Sophie?" Sian bit the inside of her cheek just to make sure she was actually awake. "Erm in love with Sophie...? Erm I don't think so...ha ha is this another British joke thing. Ha ha." Sian knew she was babbling and making no sense at all, she could feel her cheeks burning and didn't dare look over to Kevin as she swallowed hard. "Sorry my mistake, but if you are Sian it's not a bad thing you know. I am not going to go mental, Sally well she is little world of her own. But me I don't judge."

Sian just continued to stare not sure what to make of this situation, she knew Sophie said her Dad was cool but this just seemed far too much like a Hallmark moment for her. "Sorry nothing to discuss Mr Webster, I am not in love with Soph, I mean obviously I love her but I am not IN love with her. That's different I mean to be IN love with another girl well it's just wrong isn't it? I like men I like penises, oh shit, sorry Mr Webster. I shouldn't have said penis, shit said it again and now I am swearing. Crap I like Sophie but not like like you know, but then I just said I loved her didn't I?" A smile crept across Kevin's face he was right Sian had feelings for Sophie.

"Well that was quite the little speech there; I am now totally convinced you don't love my daughter." Kevin patted Sian on the head as he walked out of the room. "Was he just being sarcastic to me?" Sian wondered to herself. "Was who being sarcastic? Sian I swear you spend most of your time talking to yourself." Sophie laughed walking back into the room and sitting next to Sian. "Why are you so flustered looking?" Sophie asked looking at her friend. "Me? No I'm not and even if I was it was because you just snuck up on me." Sian snapped. "Alright take a chill pill or do you have PMT?" Sophie snapped back staring at Sian.

"Leslie Scott!" Sally shouted waving her iPhone in the air. Sophie snapped her head round to look at her Mum. "What are you on about woman?" Sally sat down. "Jenga I googled who invented it and it was Leslie Scott. Do keep up Sophie." Sophie rolled her eyes as she looked round to Sian again wondering what on earth was wrong with her. "I'm going to go to bed, I'm really tired." Sian faked a yawn to cover her lie. "Okay Sian you are in with Sophie as Rosie has taken the single bed. You girls are okay sharing aren't you?" Sian closed her eyes as she felt Sophie stiffen next to her. "Yeah that's fine Mum, see you in the morning." Sophie kissed her Mum goodnight and followed Sian. "No hanky panky now girls!" Sally chuckled at her own joke as the girls groaned.

"You okay Sian?" Sophie asked to the dark room after her and Sian had gotten ready for bed in silence. "Yeah why do you ask?" Sian replied. "You just seem off, is it because of earlier with that weird near kiss thing?" Sophie asked bluntly as Sian took a deep breath next to her. "I guess so, you seemed a bit freaked out about it. Not that I wanted anything to happen but...you seem scared to be near me now or something...not that I don't find you attractive because I do." HOLLY MARY MOTHER OF GOD! Screamed through Sian's mind what had she just said. "You find me attractive?" Sophie half whispered in shock.

"Well yeah but you know in a friends kind of way as in I think Rosie is attractive not that I fancy you." Sian rushed out her explanation. "So you don't fancy me then?" Sophie asked feeling disappointed but not really sure why. "No I don't, I already said that didn't I?" Sian couldn't believe she had messed up so bad and wished this torture could end. "Yeah okay I just wanted to be sure that's all." Sophie sighed rolling onto her side. "Why does the thought of kissing a girl or a girl fancying you freak you out that much?" Sian had to know and wasn't sure when she would get another chance like this again. "I never thought about it to be honest. I've never fancied girls so it's not what I think about. Have you?" Sian chewed at her lip trying to decide what to say next.

"Yes." Sian quietly admitted. "Really?" Sophie was shocked as she thought Sian was some sort of man eater. "Please don't judge me Soph, I'm just confused." Sian's heart was thumping through her chest at panic to what Sophie was going to say next it was too dark to see her face or be able to read her expression. "I'm not going to judge you, I think you're brave. Can't be an easy thing to admit to do you think your gay then?" Sian blinked in the darkness. "Truth...I don't know what I am. All I know is there is a girl that I just can't stop thinking about."

Sophie rolled over to look at Sian placing her mobile between them so they had a bit of light. "The forbidden fruit?" Sian nodded. "Do I know her?" Sian closed her eyes for a moment. "No I don't think so." Sophie nodded back. "Maybe you just have a girl crush, Rosie used to get them all the time it doesn't make you gay." Sian wished that was true her life would be so much easier now. "I wish that's all it was. When I am around her I...I just feel alive. When she smiles it's like she is smiling just for me, and without even knowing it I can feel a smile on my own face. I get the butterflies, the rapid heartbeats, she is so beautiful and she doesn't even know it. I swear I could just watch her all day, she is just...amazing to me."

Sophie could feel jealousy brewing inside her hearing Sian talk about someone like this; it would mean if they got together they wouldn't have as much time together. "I think you are in love Sian. And they are very lucky no one has ever spoken about me that way." Sian half smiled at the irony of it all. "I think your right Soph I do love them, I just wish they felt the same about me. I would treat her like a goddess, just to be given a chance to even try I would fly round the world for her." Sophie had never heard Sian talk like this before and was struggling with her continued jealousy. "Well she is insane for not giving you a chance. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Rosie sat listening to the doctor confirming her worst fears. "Miss Webster we do have lots of support groups, people you can talk to." Rosie felt numb one stupid mistake and look what had happened, her parents would disown her if they found out and who could blame them. "Thank you doctor but I think I just need some time to digest everything." The doctor nodded. "Okay well be sure that you make a follow up appointment on your way out." Rosie nodded and somehow made her way out of the doctor's surgery. "Rosie Webster been a naughty girl again have you?" Rosie felt the colour drain out of her face as she turned around.

"Oh hi Eleanor sorry I was in a world of my own then." Rosie smiled at her friend. "I thought you were at your parents this weekend?" Rosie started walking and Eleanor fell into step next to her. "Yeah we came home a day earlier Sian wasn't well so we just decided to head back." Eleanor nodded. "Ah picking up some medicine for Sian are you?" Rosie wasn't listening she was staring at the person that had ruined her life. "What's wrong with her?" Eleanor waved her hand in front of Rosie to get her attention. "Huh sorry, she has flu." Rosie continued to stare with venom in her eyes. "Wow someone has pissed you off to be getting the Rosie death stare!"

By the time they got back to the Delta Gamma house Eleanor was working Rosie's last nerve, all she wanted to do was scream and instead she had smile and pretend everything was fine. "Hey Soph, how is Sian doing?" Rosie poked her head into Sian's room to see her little sister studying. "Hey, not so good she has a really high temperature and is in a lot of pain. I told her to go to the medical centre but she won't go and now is too sick to leave bed, I'm worried." Sophie creased her brow. "I'll call the medical centre and ask them what we should do, she will be fine Soph. It's just a bad flu." Rosie squeezed her sister's shoulder.

"Thank you doctor, I will make sure she gets plenty of bed rest and to check her temperature." It had to be the same dam doctor she had seen earlier. "I will check back tomorrow, did you pick up those pamphlets I told you about earlier?" Rosie fixed a smile on her face. "Yes I did and I made my follow appointment okay." Rosie had a warning tone in her voice Sophie was already suspicious when the doctor mentioned seeing Rosie earlier. "Soph it is just a bad flu, we can take it turns watching Sian. We just need to keep an eye on her temperature." Sophie gently pushed Sian's hair off her face. "She is delirious with this fever Rosie she keeps talking to herself." Sophie smiled thinking about the gibberish Sian was saying earlier.

"I just need to nip out for a bit Soph, but I will take over when I come back okay." Sophie waved at Rosie and took her seat back at Sian's desk to carry on with her study. "I'm sorry...nothing to discuss." Sophie spun round to see Sian was mumbling again. "I love her...I don't want to." Sophie sat on the bed next to Sian; she had refused to tell her who the girl was maybe she might say something now. "Mr Webster...is right." Sophie wondered what her Dad had to do with anything. OMFG its Rosie she flaming well in love with Rosie. Sophie felt sick the thought of Rosie and Sian together it just didn't make any sense or did it?

"Soph?" Sian continued to murmur. "I'm right here Sian, your okay." Sophie reassured her. "Why can't I tell her?" Sophie leaned in closer to Sian. "Tell me what Sian?" Sophie knew she wasn't being exactly fair questioning Sian now but she wanted to know. "It's killing me..." Sophie held Sian's hand. "What is killing you Sian?" Sian thrashed around under the duvet before settling again. "She won't love me, no one loves me." Sophie felt her heart break for Sian; how anyone could not love Sian baffled her. "Please love me back Webster, I beg you." Sophie just stared at Sian confirming her thoughts from earlier.

_Will Rosie confine in someone? Will Sian want to listen? Will Sophie realise it's not Rosie? How will Sian react to Sophie's questions? All will be revealed next time on...The Masquerade Chapter 9_


	9. Chapter 9

The Masquerade – Chapter 9

Sian slowly opened her eyes wondering what day of the week it was and wondering why her head felt like a hippo had been tap dancing on it. "Urgh." Sian moaned trying to sit up. "Hey sleepy head you're awake." Rosie smiled looking over to her friend. "Your fever broke late last night." Sian rubbed at her eyes trying to get some focus. "Fever? All I remember is feeling rough I didn't realise I had a fever. What day is it?" Rosie sat next to Sian. "It's Thursday you have been in bed for four days, Soph has been really worried about you. Well all of us have been." Sian couldn't believe it was Thursday already. "Thanks for looking after me." Rosie felt bad for Sian being so ill she looked terrible. "You still need to rest up though. I will let Soph know you are awake."

"Thanks for letting me know Rosie...I'm busy today...I will try and swing by at the weekend...no I'm fine...just busy honest...okay...bye." Sophie threw her mobile on the bed. "Well I am glad to see that moody Sophie is still with us." Amber said looking up from her book. "Oh shut up." Sophie snapped. "Geez okay no need to bite my head off." Sophie slouched on the end of her bed. "I'm sorry I just got something on my mind and I don't know how to fix it." Amber put her book down. "Try talking about it?" Sophie sighed. "What is it with you yanks always having to talk, can't you just keep a stiff upper lip and get on with things?" Amber rolled her eyes. "Yeah because that is working out so well for you!"

"Fine I think I like someone. Someone I shouldn't and this someone is in love with someone that I can't believe they would be. They just don't go together and I didn't realise I liked this someone until I found out they liked this other person. So maybe I am just jealous I don't know. Either way I can't like this someone it would never work and they are in love with someone else." Amber was seriously confused. "That was a lot of someone's in one sentence, so basically you like someone." Amber used air quotes when saying someone earning herself a glare from Sophie. "Yes I do, I think."

"Okay you have two options you can either be brave and talk to this 'someone' or always wonder what if. Who is this guy anyway he must be pretty special to have you so spun out." Amber was desperate to know who it was but knew Sophie wouldn't tell her she played her cards very close to her chest after all the John mess. "Your right, I need to just say something otherwise it is going to be a big mess and I will lose a friend over it. But also possibly break my sister's heart." Amber was even more intrigued now. "What has Rosie got to do with this?" Sophie screwed her face up knowing she had shared too much. "Rosie is the person they are in love with."

"I see we have some new faces today, welcome to you all." Rosie sat with her legs and arms folded wondering why she bothered coming. "You are not alone in this..." Rosie had zoned out from the counsellor leading the group, she looked at the other faces in the room and was surprised at the mix of people here. "So how did your family take it?" Rosie snapped back to the room to hear what the reply was. "Well let's just say I won't need to worry about buying them Christmas presents this year." Rosie felt for the stranger crying in the room. "They just need time to adjust; it is a very normal response Tim." The counsellor replied.

"I hope to see you all here again next week and if in-between times you need someone to talk to, if it all gets too much for you we have the helpline number as well." Rosie couldn't wait to get the hell out of the room, how this was supposed to help her she didn't know. "It gets better." Rosie looked to see was speaking to her. "Tim is it?" Tim nodded. "Thanks for talking to me but I don't see how this can ever get better. You said so yourself tonight your family disowned you. How can that possibly make things better?" Rosie didn't mean to sound harsh her mind was spinning. "It means I don't have to life a lie anymore. Look here is my number if ever you want to talk." Rosie took the card and walked out.

For all of Sophie's bravado on Thursday she still hadn't been near Sian still trying to digest her own feelings before making things worse. Did she really have feelings like that for Sian? She had always thought she was beautiful but that is where it had stopped, and okay they were very flirty with each other but that doesn't mean anything she flirts with lots of people. Okay no she didn't flirt with Amber like that or any other girl but even so; god so much for clearing her head Sophie chastised herself.

"Soph are you going to come in or just stand out there muttering to yourself?" Sian called from her bedroom. "Sorry I was texting someone." Good save Sophie complimented herself. "Well hello stranger I haven't see you in a week. I know I am not looking my best." Sian smiled to let Sophie know she was only joking. "Sorry I have just been busy with school work and stuff." Sophie looked at Sian she had lost a lot of weight but still had that amazing smile and those hypnotising blue eyes. "Are you sure it's not after what we talked about at your parents. I understand if you are wigged out I would be."

Okay Sophie Webster be brave be strong. "To be honest yes it is part. This girl you are in love with I know who it is, you told me when you out of it with your fever." Sian's face fell all her worst nightmares were coming true. "I'm so sorry you found out that way Soph." Sian continued to stare at her hands. "Well it came as a shock I have to admit. I have to ask are you sure?" Sophie could feel her insides turning in anticipation. "Pretty sure, I'm sorry I tried to bury my feelings but instead they just got stronger the more time we spend together. I understand if we can't be friends."

Sophie sat on the bed at last and looked at Sian she looked so defeated her heart went out to her. "How long have you felt like this?" Sian sighed she supposed Sophie just wanted to know the truth. "I could lie and say a couple of months but really it has been since about October. I am sorry Soph you have to believe me I never meant for any of this to happen." Sian at last looked at Sophie her eyes were filled with tears. "Soph please don't cry, I will do anything to make this up to you." Sophie wiped at her tears. "So you really love her?"

Sian's eyes darkened and creased her brow. "Love her? What do you mean?" Sophie looked at Sian not sure why she was suddenly confused. "Rosie you love her right?" Sian twisted her head in shock. "ROSIE?" Now Sophie had no idea what they had been talking about. "What has Rosie got to do with anything?" Sian asked perplexed. "I said you love her." Sophie repeated. "It's you, you idiot not Rosie, it's you that makes me smile, it's you that gives me the butterflies. It's you that I love." Sian used all her strength to tell Sophie who now sat stunned into silence.

"It's me?" Sophie eventually whispered afraid she had misheard. "Yes Soph it's you. It's always been you." Sian's eyes pleaded with Sophie's not to freak out. "Oh my god." Sophie put her head in her hands shaking her head. Sian closed her eyes knowing she had just lost Sophie. "I...you...have no idea." Sophie stuttered out eventually looking over to Sian again. She reached her hand up to cup Sian's cheek and gently rubbed her thumb over her cheek. "I...you...I" Sophie again couldn't get her words out so instead leaned forward and gently kissed Sian on the lips. Sian pulled back straight away with worry in her eyes.

"Soph? What?" Sophie went to kiss Sian again but was blocked by Sian's hand grabbing her jaw. "Sianmuph not humph easy muph talk." Sophie pointed to Sian's hand gripped on her face. "Sorry." Sian moved her hand away. "When we had that talk at my parents it didn't freak me out. It made me jealous that you liked someone. Then when you were talking during your fever and you said you loved Webster I put two and two together and came up with Rosie. Ever since my mind has been all over the place I have never been jealous of Rosie in my whole life and yet when I thought you were in love with her, I would have swapped lives with her in a heartbeat."

Sian couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So what I think your saying is that you have feelings for me?" Sophie nodded. "I couldn't get my words out so I thought I would make it clear and kiss you. Then you pulled away and clamped my mouth shut." Sophie smiled. "Am I dreaming?" Sian asked sweetly pulling Sophie into her arms. "Well if you are then so am I. I don't know what this is between us Sian but I don't think it is going to go away." Sian nodded loving having Sophie in her arms. "So what do we do?" Sophie thought for a moment before sitting up and gently kissing Sian again.

"What the fucking hell!" Rosie screamed walking in on Sophie and Sian in bed kissing. "Sophie get away from Sian now!" Sophie jumped back in shock but held Sian's hand to let her know she wasn't going anywhere. "Rosie I'm sorry." Rosie stormed over to Sian and gulped back her tears. "Tell me you are not sleeping together." Sian opened her mouth to speak but couldn't. "Chill out Rosie, calm the fuck down will you!" Sophie snapped. "I asked you a question Sian. Are you and Sophie sleeping together?" Sophie was now on her feet. "Rosie it is none of your dam business."

Rosie stormed round to Sophie and grabbed her arm pulling her out of Sian's room and into her own. "Rosie what the hell?" Sophie rubbed at her arm. "You are not to see Sian do you hear me. You two will not be together like that. Now have you slept together?" Rosie was actually mental she had completely lost it Sophie thought. "It's none of your business Rosie, I am 19 I can do what I want and I want to be with Sian. And if you can't handle it then that's your problem!" Rosie chewed on her gums trying to calm herself down. "I am not playing here Sophie tell me now." Sophie just shook her head. "No we haven't, today was our first kiss. Happy now?"

Rosie sighed in relief. "I meant what I said Sophie you will not see Sian anymore. If you do I will tell Mum and Dad they have a gay daughter how do you think they will react to that?" Rosie hated herself for what she was saying she didn't care if Sophie was gay or not she just had to stay the hell away from Sian. "You wouldn't." Sophie asked in disbelief. "Try me Sophie, I am deadly serious this ends today." Sophie had never hated anyone as much as she hated her own sister right now. "You haven't told me why I am to stay away from Sian." Rosie spun around "Because I told you to."

Sophie headed for the door. "Do you know what Rosie I never thought I would hate you the way I do right now, I don't care what you say I am going to keep seeing Sian." Rosie ran over to the door and slammed it shut. "Rosie I swear to god if you don't end it now I will ruin Sian on this campus is that what you want?" Sophie chewed on her lip. "Why? What has she done?" Rosie continued to block Sophie's exit. "Because Sophie that is why. One day you will thank me. Now go in there and end it, I am not playing here." Sophie blinked back her tears. "I hate you." Sophie spat and walked out of Rosie's room.

Rosie was sat in the coffee house on campus trying to sort her head out from walking in on Sophie and Sian, when did that happen and how had she not spotted the signs? "Hey baby fancy some company?" Rosie could feel her anger building again. "I told you to leave me alone. Is it not enough that you have ruined my life without still trying to talk to me?" Rosie got up to walk away. "Have you told everyone else?" William nodded. "So she knows?" William again just nodded as Rosie stormed out, how could Sian be so reckless Rosie fumed and now Sophie was almost pulled into the mess as well, if...well she would never have forgiven herself.

"Soph I heard everything, I guess Rosie doesn't want us together." Sophie walked over to Sian and pulled her into a hug. "I still want to see where this goes but maybe if we just pull back for a bit let Rosie calm down." Sian smiled at Sophie. "Whatever you need Soph. I am not going anywhere I promise." Sophie kissed Sian on the lips and then walked out colliding with Rosie on the way out. "I thought I told you to end it." Rosie shouted. "I just did." Rosie grabbed Sophie by the arm again pulling her into Sian's room and slamming the door behind them.

"Rosie what the hell?" Sian asked. "Are you going to tell Sophie or am I?" Rosie shouted. "Tell her what?" Sian shouted back. "Don't play games Sian, just tell her!" Rosie was desperate for Sian to confess to prove Rosie right. "I don't know what you are talking about Rosie." Sian was getting angry now. "I swear I will tell her Sian. You disgust me do you know that." Sophie stood looking from Rosie to Sian completely confused. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Sophie interrupted. "Fine I will tell you Sophie, Sian is...


	10. Chapter 10

The Masquerade – Chapter 10

_Previously on The Masquerade...Sophie finally realised Sian had feelings for her and they shared a kiss, Rosie walked in and went nuts demanding Sophie stay away from Sian, Sophie wants to know why she has to stay away from Sian as Rosie struggles to find the words..._

Sophie stood looking from Rosie to Sian completely confused. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Sophie interrupted. "Fine I will tell you Sophie, Sian is...well what are you Sian?" Sophie felt like she was watching a tennis match the way her head was swinging from Rosie and then to Sian. "Rosie I swear I have no idea what you are talking about here." Sian pleaded towards the older Webster, Sophie had no idea what was going on and at that moment she wasn't sure she was ready to know. "You two are doing my head in, Rosie you are screaming at Sian like she tried to murder me and Sian...I just don't know. How about you two sort your shit out between you and then let me know what you have become sane. I am off to get splattered!" Sophie took one last look at her almost girlfriend or whatever she was and then her sister, whatever was about to go down she didn't want to be piggy in the middle. Sophie stormed out of Sian's room not really sure where she was heading, maybe Amber would be up for a few cheeky drinks.

"Rosie I swear I have no idea what you are talking about here." Sian pleaded with her eyes at Rosie hoping to find some compassion there, she didn't find any. "Happy now, you know this is only the tip of the iceberg when she finds out. Sophie may seem the forgiving type, but well..." Rosie wiped a tear away. "Rosie I don't know how many times I can say this but I have no clue what you are on about. Either tell me now or I am going after Sophie to tell her that you are insane." Sian really did feel like she had woken up in some parallel universe, Rosie her supposed best friend had turned on her and when Rosie turned, well not many people came back from that. "Have you spoken to William recently?" Rosie finally asked. "No why would I have?" Sian noticed the anger in Rosie's eyes dipped slightly. "Are you sure Sian?" Sian nodded. "I am positive considering I have been laid up in bed the last lot of days when exactly would I have seen him?"

Rosie desperately wanted to believe Sian but why William would lie about talking to her, although he hadn't exactly been honest with her either. "Well you need to talk to him, it has to come from him not me, I am not doing his dirty work. Once you have spoken to him come and find me." Rosie sighed looking over at Sian she had no idea she was about to go to hell and back. Well truth be told Rosie was still in hell, she wanted to be there for Sian but she had to be selfish at the moment. Rosie walked across the hall back into her room and looked at herself in the mirror, she didn't like what she saw. "Nice one Webster here you are living the American dream and you go and fuck it all up. I hope you like seeing yourself on your own because this is it from now on." Rosie threw a bottle of perfume at the mirror in bad temper watching it smash, seven years of bad luck, if I live that long.

Sophie had managed to find Amber and eventually through a d friend of a friend of a friend had got their hands on some vodka. "So what do you think they were fighting about?" Amber asked pouring more vodka in Sophie's glass. "I really don't know but it seemed really serious. But they were both talking in rhymes; I just couldn't handle anymore drama today." Sophie frowned hoping she had done the right thing. "I would have stayed there is no way I could have left without finding out." Amber clinked her glass against Sophie's. "Yes but after me and Sian finally confessing our feelings and then the kiss...only for Rosie to go robo bitch on me and threaten to destroy Sian if we didn't break up." Sophie was rambling more to herself than her roommate. "Hang on! You kissed Sian! What, when, how? What? Details now Webster!" Amber nearly bounced off the bed at this slice of salacious gossip.

Sian had dragged herself out of bed, showered and dressed she was now on the hunt for William, she tried to get Rosie to talk to her but she wouldn't even answer her door. It had been well over 6 months since she had any real contact with William, well expect for the mistaken drunken night she had spent with him and then the fun of having to get the morning after pill because the condom broke, with a steaming hangover having to listen to the nurse have a go at her. Sian promised herself that was the last time and it had been, she was done being stupid. "William, William wait up." Sian shouted running after him. "You are a hard man to track down, usually when I text you answer straight away." Sian remarked when she caught up with him. "Hey Sian, how you been?" Sian noticed he never looked up when he was talking. "Fine, look Rosie told me I had to talk to you. She is being totally weird and won't talk to me. Said it had to come from you not her." Sian stood in front of William to stop him walking. "Shit. Look Sian you have to know I am sorry I never meant for any of this to happen." Okay Sian wasn't expecting this she felt her stomach drop.

Rosie stared at her phone flicking through her contacts and laughing insanely to herself "No, yes, maybe, definite no. That is a hell no bible basher herself." Rosie was working out who would still speak to her when the truth got out, it was bound to there were too many people involved now for it not to. She noticed the name Tim from her meeting earlier maybe he could help her he was going through it himself as well she rubbed her finger over his name again. "Grow some balls Rosie and dial the number." She muttered to herself hitting call. "Hi Tim?...Its Rosie Webster we met at the support group today...I was wondering if you could meet for a coffee...are you sure...thank you...okay see you in twenty minutes." Rosie looked at her shattered mirror thinking how alike her life and the mirror were now.

"Oh my god I can't believe you kissed Sian, TWICE!" Amber screamed bounding over to Sophie. "I can't either to be honest, I never thought that way about a girl before but Sian...well it's Sian." Even mentioning her name Sophie could feel the butterflies. "So are you like gay now?" Amber had joined Sophie on her bed. "No, I don't think so, or maybe I am. I really don't know. All I know is I like Sian and I want to be with her, I never click with people and with Sian, it's just been so easy I never thought one person could be my everything and I really think she could be." Amber smiled over to her friend and gave her a hug letting her know she supported her. "Sophie that is adorable, I love the way you blush a little saying her name even. You know I totally support you, love is love after all." Sophie smiled back at Amber thinking how lucky she was having her in her life.

Sian felt like someone had just punched her she had to take a step back and sit down before she fell down. "Are you sure?" Was about all she could muster looking up at William wishing it was all some horrific joke. "Sian, I am sorry you have to know that." Sian glared at the man that within the last five minutes had just torn her life apart. "You're sorry, you're sorry. What the fuck? How long have you known?" Sian was angry now and could feel her legs shaking beneath her. "About a month." William hung his head in shame. "A MONTH, A FUCKING MONTH and now you decide to tell, actually no after I confronted you. I'm still confused what has Rosie got to do with this?" Before Sian finished asking her question the look on Williams face told her all she needed to know. "Nice, real nice." Sian spat shoving William as she ran off across the campus in search of Rosie.

"So tough day?" Tim asked as Rosie sat down. "You could say that." Rosie nodded pouring two sugars into her tea, she needed it to help with the shock. "Want to talk about it?" Rosie shook her head. "Not a problem, so you graduate this year, same as me. " Tim started rambling and Rosie was grateful for it. "Yeah not a clue what I am going to do now though." Tim grabbed Rosie's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Rosie I know it seems like a death sentence but as long as you look after yourself and take your meds you can live a long healthy life. It's not like it was in the 80's." Rosie nodded. "I know I know what you're saying all makes sense but I just feel ashamed, embarrassed, stupid I mean...hell I don't know what I mean. It's just a lot to get my head around." Tim smiled lightly at Rosie. "Nothing prepares you for that conversation with an ex and then the doctors confirming it, I know what you are going through." Rosie leaned into Tim's strong shoulder. "How did you? I mean what happened?" Rosie sipped at her tea looking at Tim before some commotion from the door grabbed her attention.

"Rosie Webster!" Sophie shouted knocking into a basket full of coffee beans sending the whole lot flying. "There you are! Who is this hunk? And here I was thinking you and Sian had a thing going on!" Sophie stumbled over to Rosie wondering when the coffee house had installed a spinning floor, okay time for the one eye trick Sophie smiled at her own genius. "Soph, what are? Oh my god your drunk!" Rosie grabbed her sister as she bounced off another table. "Actually Rospee I am splattered, he he!" Sophie threw herself down on the sofa where Rosie had been sitting. "You need a black coffee." Rosie went to apologise and order Sophie her coffee. "Who is you?" Sophie slurred looking at Tim through her one eye. "I'm Tim, a friend of Rosie's." Tim offered his hand to Sophie. "Do you know what they should sell with alcohly, alcholicy, alco-holic drinks? An eye patch to help you see better." Sophie waved a finger at Tim in triumph at finally being able to say alcoholic.

Sian ran until she couldn't breathe anymore, now she knew why Rosie had freaked out. Sian put her hands on her head trying to take in what William had told her, what an idiot her biggest worry had been getting pregnant. Sian noticed Sophie up ahead of her walking into the coffee house, she could feel the tears springing just looking at Sophie knowing she would never have her, never kiss her, never make love to her. Sian kicked at the ground in bad temper cursing herself again. "Well Powers may as well tell Sophie to stay away now, just to make sure this is the worst day ever." Sian ran over to the coffee shop and noticed Rosie at the counter their eyes locked on each other, Rosie nodded her head for Sian to come in. Sian took a deep breath and pulled open the door her eyes never leaving Rosie, she could feel the ground beneath her was loose as she tried to steady herself it only made it worse, she tried grabbing for the counter only to miss and smack her head, suddenly everything was dark.

"So Tim how long have you and Rosie been dating?" Sophie asked the man sat in front of her. "Oh my god Sian!" Sophie turned around when she heard Rosie scream. "Sian? Sian? Where is she?" Sophie stumbled to her feet following Rosie's voice. "Sophie stay back." Rosie warned looking at Sian laying on the ground with blood coming out of her head. "Oh my god Sian." Sophie ran over to her almost slipping on the coffee beans as well, realising it was her fault. "Sophie stay back, stay the hell back. Someone call 911!" Rosie shouted trying not to panic she looked over to Tim who was walking over. "Sian I am so sorry, please wake up." Sophie had sunk to her knees next to Sian and reached to touch her. "SOPHIE! Don't touch her...she might have injured her spine or something." Sophie sat back like a naughty school girl.

Sian blinked trying to open her eyes they wouldn't open for her, she could feel her head throbbing like it had been snapped open and shouting around her. After another try her eyes flickered open to be blinded by the light and Rosie peering down at her. "Sian, thank god can you speak." Sian swallowed tasting blood in her mouth, that couldn't be good. "Rosie." She rasped and then noticing Sophie to her side. "Soph." She tried speaking again as Sophie leaned in trying to take her hand. "Sian oh my god I am so sorry, this is my fault, please be okay." Sian tried to keep her eyes open but they were so heavy. "Sophie I won't tell you again, don't touch Sian." Sian blinked again and tried to move, nope nothing was moving. "I only want to hold her hand, it's only a bit of blood Rosie, it's not going to kill me." Sian moved her eyes to look at Sophie. "No Soph..." Sophie moved closer to Sian when she heard her name. "I am here Sian, I am not going anywhere." Sophie went to wipe the blood off Sian's face when Rosie screamed. "Sophie! I am begging you please just wait for the ambulance." Sian blinked desperate to keep her eyes open. "Rosie she needs to know someone is here with her." Rosie stood up and pushed Sophie backwards. "She had HIV you idiot!" Sian blacked out...

_Will Sian be okay? How is Sophie going to react to the truth? Will Rosie tell Sophie about herself? What happens now its public knowledge? __All will be revealed on...The Masquerade Chapter 11_


	11. Chapter 11

_ Previously on The Masquerade...word gets out about Sian having HIV, Sian injuries herself in an accident, Rosie keeps quiet about her own condition_

"She has HIV you idiot!" the words kept spinning round in Sophie's head, how did this happen, not Sian, not her Sian it must be a mistake. Sophie continued to look out the window still trying to figure out today's events in her head. "I though you would have been at the hospital with Sian?" Amber asked as she walked into their room. Sophie didn't turn around and just continued to stare. "HIV...HIV...how?" Amber looked over at her roommate, the rumours about Sian having HIV had spread like wildfire across campus. "Soph? Is it true...you know about Sian?" Amber gently touched Sophie's shoulder to get her attention. "Yes." Sophie snapped as she gently let the tears fall.

Sian blinked trying to open her eyes, her throat felt dry and her head was thumping, I really need to cut down on my drinking Sian mumbled to herself. God my head is killing me, what the hell was I drinking, and also more worrying where the hell am I? Sian sat up in the bed and noticed Rosie asleep in the chair next to her. "Rosie?" Sian was starting to worry now, this seemed very much like a hospital room, but she had no recollection as to how she got here as the took in her surroundings. " Sian, thank god your awake." Rosie grabbed her friends hand and gave it a squeeze. "Rosie what the hell is going on? Am I in hospital? How did I end up here?" Sian tried to hide the panic in her voice, obviously not very well judging by the look on Rosie's face. "Don't you remember anything?" Rosie asked as Sian shook her head. "You fell over in the coffee house and hit your head, you are going to be fine but because you were unconscious the doctors had to keep you in for observation." Sian touched her head and felt the bandage wrapped around it, this really wasn't her week first the flu and now this.

"Your awake sweetie." Sian looked over to see her Mum coming into the room. "Mum? What are you doing here?" Sian sat upright in bed and caught Rosie's apologetic eyes. "What do you mean what am I doing here? I am your Mother of course I would be here. Your Dad is on his way as well." Sian closed her eyes and sighed, just what she needed another lecture from her Dad about the disappointment she had become. "Look I am going to leave you guys to it." Rosie got up and kissed Sian on the cheek "We can talk about everything else later." Rosie whispered low enough that Mrs Powers wouldn't hear. "Everything else?" Sian asked confused.

"Hey Amber is Soph here?" Rosie asked walking into the room without waiting for an invite, Amber just pointed to Sophie still sat next to the window. "I'm off to class, she hasn't said a word in hours, I'm worried." Rosie nodded. "I'll take over now, thanks Amber." Rosie walked over to her sister and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Sian has woken up, she is going to be fine." Sophie still didn't respond. "Soph did you hear me, Sian is going to be fine, just a nasty knock." Rosie moved round to be sat next to Sophie on the windowsill. "Sophie say something, please." Sophie looked at Rosie, her eyes were red from crying the sparkle that had been in them this morning was long gone, leaving dark debris in its place. "She's not fine though is she Rosie! She has HIV! How does that make her fine?" Rosie recoiled at the coldness in Sophie's voice. "Well...no...but..." Sophie jumped up onto her feet. "Really she is anything but fine, she is nothing more than a selfish liar." Rosie raised her eyebrows in confusion. "A liar? How did you come to that conclusion Soph?" Sophie spun around with angry tears spilling down her face. "She has HIV Rosie! HIV she could have infected me if we had slept together! She lied...you lied! You knew...you warned me not to touch her! Why would you not tell me?" Rosie had no idea how to respond, judging by Sophie's response to Sian there was no way she could tell her about herself as well.

"Miss Powers we are going to keep you in tonight just as a precaution. I understand you were recently diagnosed with HIV as well, you must remember to take your meds, how long have you known for?" Sian sat open mouthed looking at the doctor. "HIV?...Me?" The doctor smiled softly and nodded. "Your friend informed the paramedics when they came out, its on your notes." Sian wondered if was having a nightmare, that she was going to wake up soon. "I really think there must be some mistake doctor...I...I..." Suddenly Sian remembered her conversation with William. "FUCK!" Sian leaned forward resting her head in her hands as the days events came rushing back to her. "I don't know if I have HIV or not, there is a chance since I had unprotected sex with someone that is infected. Can I have a test done please?" Sian had no idea where this strong and steady voice had come from, if it wasn't just her and the doctor in the room she would have sworn someone else was talking. "Of course I will ask one of the nurses, I am sorry for the assumption." Sian nodded as the doctor left.

Sian could hear the voices around her as she woke up. "Hey sweetie your awake, your Dad is here." Sian noticed her Mum's demeanor had changed she seemed closed off and she swore she could see fear in her eyes. "Did you not think burying Carol my own daughter was enough pain for me?" Sian blinked her eyes to focus on her Dad. "What? I'm a bit lost here Dad." The tall man moved to the foot of the bed. "Sure Carol made mistakes, but she was a good kid, I don't know what the hell went wrong with you." Sian chewed her lips trying to mask the sick feeling she had. "Dad your talking in riddles here..." Vinnie Powers moved next to his daughter and glared at her, searching her face for some sort of remorse he couldn't see any. "The shame you have brought me, you have...look just look at your mother! Already buried one child and now you won't be far behind her." Sian shook her head trying to understand as both parents bore down on her from the sides of her bed. "Dad...I..." Vinnie snarled towards Sian. "I know you understand we can't support you, I won't bury another child, as far as I am concerned you are already dead. Do not contact us, we don't want your disease infecting this family. I don't know who will want a diseased ridden slut near them but that is your problem. AIDS I mean really Sian did you do this get attention or something." Sian scratched at the back of her neck and sighed, so much for medical records being confidential. "How did you even find out?" Vinnie threw the chart at her. "I might not even have HIV, they are doing tests, Dad please. Please don't...just give me a chance. Mum?" Sian looked over to her Mum she wouldn't meet her eye and moved over to stand next to Vinnie. "Sian I have made myself quite clear, you are no longer part of my family. You caused this, you have to live with it." Sian sat speechless as her parents walked out the door without even a backward glance.

Rosie lied to Sophie she had to, she saw the look in her eyes when she found out about Sian, she could only imagine what she would say if she knew about Rosie as well. It had been a couple of days and Sian had been released from hospital she came back to the Delta Gamma house to find herself shunned by the majority of the house, it was made clear she wasn't welcome. Rosie watched on helpless as Sian gathered her things and left never once saying a word to her, all of Rosie's phone calls had remained unanswered, she had no idea where the blonde was. "Hey Rosie." Sophie called as she walked into her room to find her staring at her phone. "Waiting on that cute guy from the coffee shop to call are you?" Rosie smiled. "No was hoping Sian had called." Sophie spun round and snorted in annoyance. "Why would you want to talk to her, I mean she lied to us! You said yourself Rosie that she lied to you when you asked her if she had HIV. To think I thought I loved her, how stupid was I." Rosie looked at the floor ashamed of herself and how she had left Sian to take all the blame when she was the innocent party in all this. "Soph please don't be like this, Sian needs our support at the moment. I can't begin to imagine what is going through her mind." Sophie looked over to her sister she really had changed so much this last year, she was so giving and full of compassion even when people didn't deserve it.

"Sian please I am begging you, please please call me back." Sian listened to another begging voicemail from Rosie, Sian was too hurt she could feel her pain physically, not one person had stood by her, not one. Rosie was only calling to ease her own guilt knowing that Sian knew she had HIV she wanted her to keep her secret, but it was fine for Sian to be hung out to dry. Sian surveyed the motel room she now called home, all she had was some clothes and her photo of Carol, she didn't care about anything else. "Better get used to this Sian, its just us now. Me and my reflection. I really thought she was different shows how wrong you can be." Sian smirked at her reflection in the mirror, she was done crying it was all she had done since she left hospital. "Lets get this party started then." Sian gathered up her belongings and headed for the door taking one last look to make sure she had everything. "Remember once you close this door Powers no more tears, that's the deal." The blonde softly closed the door and headed back towards campus.

Sophie heard the knock at the door and pulled it open without checking who it was instantly regretting it. "What do you want?" Sophie spat towards Sian. "I want to talk to you, two minutes that is all I need." Sophie walked away leaving the door open which Sian took as an invite to come in. "You wanted to talk so talk." Sophie crossed her arms and continued to glare. "I don't know what you have heard I can only assume you have heard what everyone else on campus has, that I am a slut and ended up with HIV." Sophie raised her eyebrows to confirm Sian's words. "I know you won't believe me but I had no idea William had HIV he only told me the day I hit my head, I swear to you. Rosie found out about William and put two and two together. Yes I slept with him, I was stupid I was drunk, I know thats not an excuse but the condom broke and my only worry was getting pregnant. It never entered my mind about an STD. I was careless, stupid, ignorant even. But I don't deseve this, the way people have assumed and turned their backs on me." Sophie still didn't say anything. "I don't know what Rosie has told you, that is between you two to sort out. But I just want you to know Soph I love you..." Sophie droppped her arms and moved towards Sian. "You love me? You don't know what love is you said it yourself. If you loved me you would have told me the truth as soon as you found out. I could have caught it from you, is that love?" Sain swollowed hard, begging her heart to slow down and for her tears not to fall she had to be strong. "I forgive you Soph, I can understand you jumping to conclusions here. I am sure I would have..." Sophie butted in. "I aint jumping to anything Sian, you forgive me, forgive me for what? You lied, you cheated and you have paid the ultimate price. I don't want anything to do with you. I heard William's side of the story and Rosie backed him up. You infected him not the other way round." Sian sighed and rubbed her hand over her face, she should have seen this coming.

"What future would we have ever had Sian, you have HIV. What future do you have even, I don't want you in my life." Sian recoiled from the harshness in Sophie's voice, the eyes she used to find comfort in were now hard and unforgiving. "I'm going, but Soph you will regret this, not today but when the truth comes out...well don't bother trying to find me. I really thought once I explained everything to you...fuck it there is not point. Have a nice life Sophie Webster." Sian picked up her bag and went to walk to the door. "Oh by the way, read this it might clear a few things up for you." Sian threw an envelope on the side as she slammed the door shut behind her. Sophie flinched when the door banged, but she was proud of herself for staying strong. Amber came back a couple of hours later to find Sophie reading a book. "What's this?" Amber asked picking up the envelope. "Oh Sian left if saying to read it, I am sure it's just more lies." Amber went to open the envelope and stopped. "Shall I open it?" Sophie shrugged as Amber's eyes flew open in shock. "Sophie you really need to read this." Sophie picked up the letter Amber threw at her. "I am a fucking idiot!" Sophie shouted looking around for her phone. "Shit it says this phone is no longer in service." Amber looked over at her desperate friend. "Did you ever ask her?" Sophie looked at Amber. "Ask what?" Amber sighed at Sophie's immaturity shinning through. "Did you ever ask her if it was true?" Sophie shook her head as the tears settled in her eyes. "Soph...I don't know what to say." Sophie stood rooted to the spot with the letter from the hospital in her hand confirming Sian's test results as negative.

Sophie looked out the window with the newspaper article in her hand, regret. It was a word she was very at home with now, that day when Sian came to see her, if only she had listened instead of attacking the blonde, kicking her when she was down. Instead when Sian needed her most Sophie had turned her back, sure at the time she thought she was doing the right thing. But...regret...yes there was that word again. It was 5 long years later, Sophie had graduated from UCLA and gone into Insurance of all things, well she was cautious and it suited her personality. Now sitting in her office and looking down at the city below her Sophie wondered what the hell she was doing with her life, when had she become one of those people. She looked down at the Hollywood reporter laying open on her desk, there she was the biggest regret in Sophie's life smiling back at her. 'Sian Powers her way to the part that all of Hollywood wanted' Sophie heard her intercom buzz. "Your 11am is here." Sophie pulled herself together. "Send them in please Julie." Sophie stood behind her desk as a bulky man waltzed in and shook her hand. "Ah I see you have seen who we have cast in the movie, raw talent that girl has. Now lets get the insurance sorted and get filming." Sophie wondered had fate maybe stepped in to give her another chance, a chance to let Sian know how sorry she was, how she regretted...well everything. Only time would tell...

_Will Sophie find a way to speak to Sian, what has Sian been doing the last 5 years, what has become of Rosie...find out on the next chapter of The Masquerade..._


	12. Chapter 12

_Sophie hasn't seen or spoken to Sian in five years after she turned her back on Sian in college. _

"Sorry can you repeat the question?" Sian gave her best smile to the interviewer. "So is there anyone special in your life at the moment?" The interviewers asked this question all the time, it was a staple question and as far as she was concerned perfectly acceptable, your in the public eye you should expect these kinds of questions. Sian shifted in her seat "I have many special people in my life yes." Thank god for press training, after a particulary embarassing incident last year the studio has insisted on it. "Yes but is there any ONE person that is special to you?" Sian knew full well what she meant but wasn't going to give anything. "Not really no its difficult to find the time, and there is only so many times I can hear the 'its not you, its me' line before I start to take it personally." The interviewers eyes went wide, as if someone as gorgeous as Sian Powers had been told that. "Really?" She had spluttered out before she could stop herself. "Oh god yes, but who hasn't been told that, I just think I have heard it a bit more frequently than most." Sian laughed happily making a joke of it all. "Thats all thank you." Tim got up shook hands with the nervous young woman ushering her out the door.

"Please say that was the last one today?" Sian pleaded at her manager. "Yes sweetie it is, we have that awards thing to attend tonight though so your not completely done just yet." Sian kissed Tim on the cheek and smiled. "As if I would miss that." Tim smiled back at his number one client as his phone buzzed he smiled apologetically at Sian and took the call. Tim was really the only person from Sian's past that was still in her life now, after all the drama in the coffee shop that day and Tim learning that Sian was HIV positive he had visited her in hospital and offered her his full support. At the time Sian wasn't willing to take it, but after she hit rock bottom and everyone turned their backs on her she had made contact with him, that was five years ago, yes he was her manager and dam good one, he was also her best friend and family. "Sorry that was Sean wanting to know what time we were meeting tonight." Tim blushed as he said his current squeezes name. "Wow two dates in a week, you must really like this one." Sian teased. "Shut it Powers as least I date." Sian pursed her lips with her hands on her hips. "Touche."

"Soph I was on Google this morning and you wouldn't beleive what I read." Sophie rolled her eyes at her Mum, she was still as obsessed with Google and insisted on sharing all her new found facts with Sophie, she had also discovered how to set up news alerts as well so any time Sophie or Tainsurance the company she worked for was mentioned in the news her Mum would call her and tell her. "Mum if you going to tell me who invented Jenga again..." Sophie glared over to her Mum. "Sophie since you moved to LA you have no patience anymore. I don't know how Dan puts up with you." Sophie rolled her eyes again and continued reading emails on her iPhone. "We broke up." Sophie could feel her Mum's eyes on her and was very grateful her Dad and Rosie choose that moment to appear back at their table. "Rosie, Dad." Sophie jumped up and gave them both big hugs, she could see her Mum still staring at her knowing she wasn't off the hook just yet. "Mum stop looking at me like that, its not big deal." Rosie looked from her Mum and then to her sister. "You told her then?" Sophie nodded. "I never liked him anyway too boring." Kevin smiled.

"Fine all of you laugh but Sophie you are 25 now and have never had a serious relationship since college, do you not think that is weird." Without fail Sally would always let Sophie know she was disapointed in her, she would never come out with it directly but she knew it was there. "Exactly I am 25 not flipping 55 Mum, just back off." Sally looked like she was chewing on a wasp. "Well with Rosie's 'condition' you are the only one that can give us grandchildren, I mean when we were in Weatherfield earlier this year everyone wanted to know why I didn't have any yet." Sophie saw Rosie stiffen in her chair she never took her eyes off the menu. "Mum for the love of god shut up. Rosie has HIV, she is not dying she can still have children, get married live a perfectly fine life. How many times do we have to go over this? And seriously if you think I give a dam about what anyone in Weatherfield thnks of me...well. Just leave it alone okay." Kevin looked from his wife to Sophie, it was like groundhog day with these two, Sophie always felt her Mum was getting at her and Sally just, well Kevin wasn't sure.

"Look lets all calm down." Kevin spoke up and Sally picked up the Hollywood Reporter with the article about Sian on the front. "Weren't you two friends with her at college?" Sally asked when she noticed Sian's photo. "Yeah but we drifted apart." Rosie spoke for the first time catching Sophie's eyes, they never told their parents what caused that fall out with Sian, both too ashamed to admit it, but Rosie was sure Kevin knew more than he was letting on. "Such a shame and with her hitting it big now, it would have been nice to get to the premier." Sally shook her head. "What planet are you on? Why would you be going to ther premier of a film that hasn't even been made yet?" Sophie snorted. "Well we will never know considering your no longer friends will we." Even Kevin shook his head at his wife now. "So what time is this thing tonight Rosie?" Rosie half smiled at her Dad. "It starts at 7pm, its nothing big Dad." Sophie squeezed Rosie's hand. "Erm yes it is, you are excepting an award tonight for all the great work you have been doing educating college kids about HIV, I think that is flipping bloody amazing." Rosie blushed at the attention and went back to her menu.

"Well check you out" Sian smiled at Tim all dressed up in his tux. "And you miss thang, loving that dress on you." Sian laughed as she was twirled around her living room. "Well we had better get going or we will be late and Sean will think you have stood him up." Tim nodded but didn't let go of her hand. "Thank you." Sian creased her brow. "Thank you, for what?" Tim ran his hand over his bald head "You know what for, I know the studio put pressure on you not to attend tonight and for all the other award dinners, rallys, parties you have come to with me. Your support means a lot to me." Sian pulled the tall man into a hug. "I will always support you Tim, I will never turn my back on you. You know that." Tim nodded he did know that. "Erm Sian, when we get there tonight just promise me you wont go mad at me." Sian was confused. "Why would I?" Tim didn't look up. "No real reason, just you know be open minded and remember that members of the press will be there."

"Wow this place is amazing." Sally smiled taking her seat at the dinner table. "I could get used to this Kevin, VIP's in LA." Kevin fiddled with his bow tie feeling very uncomfortable but taking in his surroundings he couldn't have been more proud of Rosie. "It is a great place but lets remember why we are here aye." Sophie came running over to their table her meeting had run late that afternoon and she had to change in the office. "Where is Rosie?" Sophie asked worried. "Just talking to the organisers." As Sophie looked over to where her Dad had just pointed her sister out, sure enough there was Rosie chatting happily to some man with a clipboard, Sophie smiled and waved rewarded with Rosie's best smile. "Your Mum and I were just saying how proud we are of Rosie, she has grown into an amazing woman." Sophie nodded at her Dad, when Rosie eventually came clean and told her the truth about herself, Sophie had been angry and hurt that she would think so little of her, but then remembered how badly she treated Sian and lost her, so she pledged her full support to Rosie. Kevin jumped out of his seat and excused himself from the table, Sophie was too busy mulling over past regrets in her mind to notice where he went.

"Hey." Sian smiled recognising the voice from behind straight away. "Kevin! How are you?" Sian threw her arms around Kevin and gave him a big hug. "I am great thanks Sian, how are you Ms Movie Star?" Kevin winked laughing. "Hardly a couple of bit parts here and there does not a movie star make. Hang on what are you doing here?" Kevin scratched at the back of his head and caught Tim's eye looking for some help. "What's going on here? I feel like I am in the middle of an ambush, guys tell me now!" Tim moved forward. "Well remember when I said to keep an open mind, but to also remember the press was going to be here." Sian narrowed her eyes but nodded along. "Well tonight is to honour a Miss Rosie Webster for all her work she has done raising awarness about HIV on college campuses. Also...erm..." Tim now looked over to Kevin as Sian's eye went wide in shock, both men followed her gaze, it was firmly on another Miss Webster...Sophie.

Sian felt like she had been punched in the stomach, all the air in her lungs left, her mouth was dry and she couldn't swallow all she could do was stare. Sophie Webster the one person that ruined her...she had to get out before Sophie saw her, just seeing her made her heart race all over again and remind her how quiet her heart had been these last 5 years. Then she remembered the way Sophie turned her back on her when she needed her most. Sian blinked back her tears and shook her head taking a deep breath, it was pathetic she was pathetic an almost relationship from 5 years ago and here she was staring, trying to calm her racing heart, remembering to breath, Sian blinked a few times trying to clear her mind, this is Sophie Webster we hate her remember Sian, she let you down when you needed her most. "I'm sorry." Sian glared at Tim sighing at his betrayal. "How could you?" Sian pushed past her friend and walked off.

Sian knew Tim was following her she could hear his clumsy steps behind her so she spun round as soon as they were alone in the corner. "How could you?" Sian asked her voice cracking at the end. "I'm sorry Sian, I'm sorry Sophie hurt you. But you have to get over her, its been 5 long years. Ignoring her existence hasn't helped you, so I thought I would force the two of you together to see if you still felt something, and obviously you do. Sian don't look at me like that, I know you want to kill me right about now but I am doing this out of love. Sort your head out eiher get over Sophie and I mean properly or try and make a go of it. Please Sian, the walls you have built around yourself are too thick and too high for anyone else to get to you, Sophie can get past them, its up to you if you want to starting living again instead of just existing." Sian ran her hands through her hair he was right and he knew he was right. "Tim I could kill you, but your right I know you are. I can't open myself up to anyone like I did Sophie, I can't take the rejection. I can't trust Sophie, I won't let myself trust her so I HAVE to get over her, I just don't know how." Tim gave Sian a hug. "Do you want me to put on my 'I hate Sophie Webster' badge again?"

Kevin came running over to this families table and sat down, no one knew he had stayed in contact with Sian, he promised Sian he would never tell Sophie and he hadn't. When Rosie came home and said she was HIV positive Kevin felt like he had failed her somehow, that he hadn't been a good enough father to her. He will never forget the fear in her eyes when she was talking to him, all he wanted to do was hold his daughter and tell her everything was going to be okay, but there wasn't anything he could do except offer her his full support. Kevin had looked up HIV support groups and gone along to a couple of them on his own, he bumped into Sian at one of them and was shocked to say the least.

_"Sian?" Kevin asked hoping he had it wrong. "Mr Webster!" Sian spat her water out in shock. "What, what are you doing here?" Kevin offered his napkin to her. "Well I am sure you know about Rosie, I just wanted to try and understand more what she is going through, how I can support her so I came along to get some help, are you...?" Kevin couldn't even say the three letters that had nearly torn his family apart. "No, no I'm not. Had a close call though, I am here with my friend Tim, I help with the setting up and serving drinks and stuff." Kevin nodded awkwardly there was so much he wanted to ask Sian but didn't feel he could. "How is Rosie? And Sophie?" Dam Sian chastised herself for asking about Sophie. "Rosie is struggling to be honest, she feels like her life is over and Sophie...to be honest I don't know, she has fallen apart, I keep telling her we will work through this together but there is something else going on with her, she just won't talk to me. She could do with a friend." Sian looked away from Kevin. "I'm sorry to hear they are both struggling, I don't mean to sound cold but I would appreciate it if you didn't tell them that you have seen me. I don't know how much you know Mr Webster but..." Sian's voice wavered letting Kevin know she was hurting. " But I can't be their friend,and they both know why. Once you get over the shock of this you will be stronger for it and with the medication available now Rosie can live a long and healthly life. If you will excuse me." Sian ran out of the room as her tears began to fall leaving a concerned Tim behind.___

Kevin had a great talk with Tim that night and got all the sorry details about what had happened with Sian, Rosie and Sophie, to say he was ashamed was an understatement. But he kept his promise and never told anyone he had seen Sian there, slowly very slowy Sian and Kevin had built up a friendship and he was so proud of her success. Both Tim and Sian had offered him advice on how to help Sally come to terms with everything and he would always be grateful for it, sadly Sally had been more worried about what her posh friends would say than her own daughters welfare. But somehow they had pulled through and suruved it as a family, Rosie was doing great . Now Kevin wanted to help Sophie smile again, he really wanted her with Sian or at the very least someone like Sian, but sadly she was one in a million. "Dad, did you hear me?" Sophie asked waving her hand in front of Kevin's face. "Sorry Sophie I was off in a dream world then." Sophie rolled her eyes. "Yeah I know, I was just asking do you think I have time to make a quick call before this thing starts?" Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so." Sophie got up and made her way outside to make a call.

"Hang on...hang on I can't hear you over the traffic. Yes Alan I know this is an important client...I am at an awards dinner...no I can't leave...Alan I am sure they can wait until tomorrow. They aren't going to be doing any shooting tonight are they?...No I didn't think so...yes I wil call them now and let them know I will sort it first thing...two secs your breaking up..." Sophie moaned away to herself as she stormed towards the bathroom pushing the door as hard as she could. "FUCK" Sophie gasped dropping her phone to see a girl laying on the floor with a bloody nose. "I am so sorry, so sorry. Hang on let me get you some tissues." Sophie could hear Alan shouting down the phone as she ran to get tissues. "Please don't sue me, please don't sue me." She was whispering to herself, as she ran back over to the girl on the floor who had now sat up cradling her face. "Oh my god." Sophie dropped the tissues on the floor. "Sian?"

Sian could see the door swinging very quickly but didn't have time to move before it smacked her straight in the face knocking her over. "FUCK" She shouted at when hearing a snapping noise from her nose before the blood started, as Sian lay on the floor she could hear someone saying sorry and the voice sounded very familiar. "Sian?" Sian looked up to be met with dark blue eyes worriedly seaching her face. "Sophie?" Sian spluttered out. "Sian I am so sorry I was on the phone and then pushed the door and now you are lying here, I am so sorry, can you stand, do you want me to get someone for you?" Sian was now leaning forward trying to stem the bleeding with tissues. "Can you get Tim please?" Sophie wrinkled her brow. "Tim as is in Tim that used to be friends with Rosie, he is bald now, Sophie please just go and get him." Sophie nodded and ran out of the door as Sian staggered to her feet, she looked in the mirror already noticing black eyes appearing and her nose swelling to twice its size. "This is fucking perfect, first day of filming tomorrow and I have a broken nose. Fucking brilliant, not enough the girl breaks my heart now she breaks my nose and now probably my career. I offically hate Sophie Webster!" Sian hadn't noticed Sophie come back in. "I found him he is getting the car and asked me to sneak you out the back." Sian just nodded, when Sophie offered her hand she slapped it away. "I don't need anything from you Sophie." Sian covered her face up and left a dumbfounded Sophie in the toilet.


	13. Chapter 13

"What the hell Webster?" Alan Sophie's boss screamed at her. "It was an accident, how was I supposed to know she was standing behind the door, and I was on the phone to you in my defence." Sophie could see the vein in his neck plump out further oh yeah he was mad. "you have to sort this and make sure you bury it with the press. Can you imagine how embarrassing this would be if it gets out. And you had better make sure Miss Powers knows your sorry. Now get out!" Alan walloped the desk with his fist to emphasis his annoyance. Sophie didn't need told twice and ran out of his office, it wasn't even 8am and she already had a crisis on her hands. "Amber can you send a bouquet of sunflowers to Sian Powers please? Just say that I am very sorry and would like to take her for lunch to or dinner to make it up to her." Sophie ran into her office realised what she had just said and came back out chewing on her pen. "Just say I'm sorry and get me her manager Tim on the phone instead please." Sophie could see Amber waving at her about something but she had already jumped onto a conference call with the London office.

"Sophie I have Tim here to see you." Amber barked through the intercom. "Shit! What time is it? I asked you to get him on the phone not in person!" Sophie was frantically tidying her desk up. "Shall I send him in now?" Amber snapped down the phone ignoring the questions. "Yes please." "Sophie lovely to see you again." Tim smiled shaking her hand. "Yes it's been a while, sorry it's under these circumstances. How is Sian?" Sophie gestured for Tim to sit down. "bruised and embarrassed but otherwise fine. As you know filming was due to start this morning and because of last nights little accident they have had to put back filming by a week until the swelling reduces." Sophie continued to nod ignoring her assistant waving in the window at her. "So the studio is going to have to make a claim, this is not a good way to start, and even more so for Sian it being her first main role. Also we want to keep it out of the press about how she broke her nose so we will come up with some sort of press release later this morning. Right I think that is everything, the studio is going to submit a claim this morning so be ready for the questions." Sophie followed Tim to the door. "and it goes without saying Sophie, please stay away Sian you only bring her pain." Tim didn't want to have to warn Sophie off but he just couldn't see what good would come of her being in Sian's life again. "Oh right yes, erm I will do my best but with the studio being our client then we are bound to run into each other." Sophie could feel her bravado shrinking under Tim's stare. "But I won't go out of my way to make contact." Sophie sighed and let her shoulders slump knowing she had no claim towards Sian whatsoever. "Oh interesting lipstick by the way." Tim smiled and walked out.

"How are you feeling sweetie?" Tim asked seeing Sian sprawled out on the sofa. "Doing okay, loving the floaty feeling the pain meds give me." Tim pulled Sian's feet onto his lap. "Oh I spoke with the insurance company today and they are going to sort everything. Now don't get mad but Sophie as in the girl that broke your heart and then broke your nose, is our insurance contact." Sian's eyes bulged at the latest development. "What? How? When?" Sian was up and pacing around "what does this mean? I can't see her everyday look at what happened just seeing her one day!" Sian pointed at her face. "no no this won't do. I will have to drop out of the movie." Tim was on his feet pacing next to her now. "Sian calm down, it just means you might see her on the set sporadically, nothing else. Plus her boss was shitting himself over the insurance claim because one of his employees caused it...and." Tim laughed pulling his phone out of his pocket. "a lighthouse..." Tim was confused. "what has a lighthouse got to do with anything?" Sian looked pensive for a moment like she was embarrassed by what she was about to admit. "Sophie was my lighthouse, whenever I felt lost I would look in her eyes that were shinning for me and I would come back. She always brought me back no matter how low I would sink she brought me back. Then she turned her lights off, leaving me lost in the dark." Sian looked over to Tim to see if he could work out what she meant. "Sian sweetie you will meet another 'lighthouse' someone that will always keep their lights on for you. Someone that deserves you." Sian sighed wondering when or if that could ever happen and leaned her head on Tim's shoulder.

"OMFG! Amber how long have I been walking around with blue ink on face!" Sophie shrieked at her poor assistant. "Sophie I kept trying to tell you and you kept ignoring me. But in answer to your question, since first thing." Sophie grunted her annoyance and swept past back into the safety of her office. Sophie rested her head on her desk wondering when today was going to end. "Sophie I have your Mum here." Amber shouted in. "Flipping great, just keep the bad karma coming my way why don't you, really what have I don't in the last 24 hours to piss you off so much?" Sophie sighed loudly and stood up to great her Mum. "Sophie darling why do you have a post it note stuck to your head and...wearing blue lipstick?" Sophie rolled her eyes and pulled the post it off her head and continued to rub at her blue lips, who knew biro ink was so permanent. "Hi Mum, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Sophie kissed her Mum on the cheek. "We are having lunch today, do you not remember?" Sophie flashed her best smile. "Of course I did I was just teasing." Yep the karma gods were out to get her today.

"Your face is looking a lot better sweetie." Tim smiled from behind Sian in the mirror. "I know I have a normal size nose again, and now just look like you do when you try and wear eyeliner." Tim mocked a hurt face. "Darling I taught you everything you know." Sian kissed her friend on the cheek. "Indeed you did, now shall we go to the set, I am excited to get started at last." Sian has spent the last five day 'recovering' from her injuries, in the real world she could have just continued working but in Hollywood...well even a bad spot was enough to close down some sets or so she had heard. Sian had never set out to be an actress it just sort of happened, after leaving UCLA she worked a lot of bar jobs which really wasn't the best idea as Sian had discovered alcohol was not her best friend and it didn't make everything better. So in an attempt to give herself something to do but drink she had volunteered at a community theatre and was happy working on the sets, but the director of the theatre had other ideas and the rest as they say is history.

"Welcome everyone I thought it would be an idea to have a read through of the script before we hit the set this afternoon, Sian if you would like to kick us off." Bradley the director smiled over to Sian. "What do you want from me? I have done everything you ask but it's never enough for you is it. If you don't want me let me go, please." Sian smiled nervously as she looked around the table. "You will never be good enough for me, but I can't have the person I want and I know you're not going to leave me." Steve one the other actors shouted back at Sian. "You know I can't leave you, I can't...please what can I do to make you love me?" Bradley put his hand up for Sian to stop. "That's great but Sian I think you need to put more emotion in, I know this only a read through but don't hold back. I am sure you have some heartbroken feelings you can tap into. Remember your desperate here." Sian smiled sadly to herself, if it was heartbreak they wanted she would give it to them, she tapped into the same thoughts she always did when a dramatic scene was required, the day Sophie turned her back on her...


	14. Chapter 14

Sian had wrapped the movie 6 months ago and was already onto her next project, if someone had of told her a few years ago she would be acting for a living she would have laughed in your face. The only down side of the movie business was the press junkets and endless interviews she had to sit through, how many times can you explain that yes you did relate to your character in parts, but that there was also a lot of differences. And her favourite trying to get her to talk about her private life, never going to happen and Sian was very clear on that. Yes she was a working actress but anything other than discussing her work was out of bounds, she didn't need another person from her past selling her story or her Dad attacking her again in the press. Thankfully Tim had managed to bury the story her Dad was trying to sell, didn't mean it didn't hurt though. At the moment the press was happy enough with the barmaid done good, living the American dream story. No need to go with ex college dropout due to rumoured HIV positive tests, promiscuous heavy drinking drug taking bisexual that fell in love with her best friends sister who proceeded to disown her along with her parents who now decided to blame Sian for the their junkie daughters drug overdose death. Yeah not quite the same ring to it, but sadly as Sian was about to discover the truth never stays buried in Hollywood for very long.

"So how come you still have your English accent? I thought you had been living over here for over ten years now?" Britney asked Sophie who just rolled her eyes, do people not get bored asking this question. "I don't know really, when I go back home to Manchester they say I sound all American and when I am here I sound English, I can't win." Britney nodded having heard a number of her friends say the same thing. "Makes sense, so where do you want to go to tonight, there is that new super hot club that has opened. It's going to be so much fun." Sophie checked her diary praying for a prior engagement. "I know your free tonight I already checked with Amber." Sophie raised an eyebrow in Amber's direction who was happily munching on a sandwich at her desk. "Fine okay I will go, but please don't leave me with some random fugly bloke again." Britney snorted with laughter. "Come on Soph you need to chill out and get that stick out of your ass. It's a Friday night and we are going to have some fun. Plus he wasn't fugly he was just plain UGLY!" Britney winked and walked out of Sophie's office. Britney had transferred in from the New York office to help out on the 'The Remote' film account after Sophie nearly decapitated its star and started hanging out together.

"Hey babes." Rosie kissed Sophie once on each cheek. "Rosie you never even used to do that in England and now you do it over here, are you trying to be all European again?" Sophie smiled as her sister gave her the evil eye. "Nothing wrong with embracing our English rose pasts you know." Sophie just nodded, even though Rosie had grown up a lot since college and gone through hell and back it was great to have some of the old Rosie still there. "Funny that Rosie because you used to tell me to embrace the California look, actively encouraged it even." Rosie chewed on her lips. "Sophie it's not my fault that your fashion peaked in 2014 and well you have never left it, it is 2020 is it not time you caught up with the rest of the world. Even Mum dresses better than you do!" Britney snorted into her glass she loved watching Rosie and Sophie going up against each other. "Whatever." Sophie muttered. "Ooooo good come back Soph, is that from your 2011 vintage come back lines." Rosie shoulder bumped her sister to let her know she was only playing. "I've just seen someone I know I will back in two secs guys." Britney took off across the room. "There are some very cute guys here tonight Soph, anyone catch your eye?" Rosie had her seductress look on. "No and you know I am not looking, I like being single." Rosie nodded her head along to the music. "Soph whilst your choice in men does leave a lot to be desired I do think it would do you good to go out on some dates, or are you back to lady loving again." Sophie spat her drink out in horror. "Sian!" Rosie scrunched her face up. "Soph I really think you need to move on from Sian, let's face it we both royally fucked up there. But you know if you want to go with the ladies I am down with that, we could go speed dating together it would be fun." Sophie continued to stare at her sister with a look of murder. "Shut up, shut up. Shut up!" Rosie waved her hand. "Not that I am ever one to boast but the ladies do seem to love me, I can give you some pointers to help you get laid if you want. What is wrong with you, you look like your eyes are about to pop out of your head." Sophie lifted her hand to point at the new people at their table. "Oh." Rosie replied sheepishly.

"Hey Sian, I didn't know you came here." Britney smiled. "Hey Brit, yeah Tim has dragged me out seems I have become all work and no play so here we are. Who are you here with?" Sian liked Britney she had helped her out with an insurance problem with her car when she visited the set one day, the two got chatting and whilst not friends they were on good enough terms to say hello. "Just some friends, I think you would like them actually you should come over and meet them." Sian looked over to Tim who was busy flirting with the barman. "I don't think he will even notice I am missing." Sian followed Britney through the crowd to her table hoping her friends weren't some crazies LA was full of them. Okay there were crazies but this was far worse, the Webster sisters. Sophie noticed Sian first as Rosie was mid monologue about Sophie's lack of action it seemed, Sian couldn't help but smirk at no matter how much things change they stay the same. "Oh." Rosie said sheepishly looking at Sian whilst Sophie was now turning a more normal colour from the beetroot red she had been. "Hi Rosie, Sophie." Sian smiled determined not to show her nerves. "Hang on you guys know each other?" Britney asked confused. "Yeah we used to go to UCLA together...but..." Rosie didn't know what to say. "I dropped out and we drifted apart." Sian jumped in with. "Awesome you forget how incestuous LA is." Britney smiled happily.

"Thanks dude just add it to the tab for Tainsurance, and we will have the same again." Britney handed the waiter a $50 guaranteeing good service for the rest of the night. "Did you used to work in a bar?" Sian noticed the exchange it was well know trick she had picked up from working in bars. "Yeah to put myself through college, tip the waiter real good first time round and then you never have to worry about the service." Sian nodded knowingly. "So ladies here are to old and new friends." Britney lifted her tequila shot up and waited for the others to lift their glasses. "Urgh, I hate tequila." Sophie moaned pulling faces. "You never could handle tequila Webster." Sian responded looking her dead in the eye almost challenging her. "I can handle it fine, I just don't like it." Sophie snipped back. "Time will tell." Sian dipped her head in response. "Sian...I...I...I'm sorry." Sian looked at the stuttering Rosie in front of her, all her bravado from her earlier conversation with Sophie appeared to have been drunk down with the tequila shot she had just done. "I don't really care Rosie, you know what you did was wrong. Sure it hurt like hell but I got over it, I got over you betraying me and I got over your sister. Shit happens I moved on, you should too." Sian hoped she sounded a lot calmer than she felt. "I am sorry, I mean for what it's worth. I was stupid selfish, scared out of my mind. But that doesn't make up for any of it. But I am truly sorry." Rosie felt like the size of pea and that Sian could just step on her at any point and squash her. "Look it's in the past let's just leave it there." Sian glared over to Sophie as she was talking to Britney. "I'm off, thanks for the drink and I'll see you around." Britney turned around to face Sian. "Really? I've got another round on the way and it looks like Tim has actually got lucky this time." Britney nodded in the direction of Tim at the bar. "Stay for one more drink?" Britney pleaded with her eyes. "Fine, just one more."

"Just one more, when will I learn." Sian stumbled towards the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Morning beautiful." Tim smiled broadly. "Oh you so got lucky last night, usually I am graced with just a wave to acknowledge me in the morning." Tim clapped his hands together and pointed to his bedroom. "His name is Marcus and he stayed over, and boy does he work out, and gave me a work out." Tim laughed at his own joke. "I hope you were careful." Sian shook her head at her manager maybe them living together wasn't such a good idea on the work/life ethics. "Sweet cheeks I am always careful and he knows I have HIV I always tell them as I would hate it done to me." Sian nodded. "I know you do, I am just grumpy after my night last night." Tim poured her some coffee as his phone started ringing. "Sorry got to grab this then I want to hear all about where you disappeared to." Sian slumped onto the stool in the kitchen and started flicking through the magazine Tim had left on the counter. "Sian exactly what did you get up to last night?" Tim was using his stern voice that he only used when she was in trouble for something. "What do you mean? I didn't actually do anything just who I bumped into, why?" Sian rubbed at her temples wondering where this was going. "I will call you back with a quote, no thanks for letting me know. I know you did your best to kill it. Bye." Tim sat down next to Sian. "Who did you talk to last night?" Sian looked over at Tim's mad face. "Well there was Britney from Tainsurance who happened to be there with you will never guess who..." "Sophie Webster?" Tim butted in. "Yeah how did you know, did you see her?" Tim logged onto his laptop without answering and started typing away. "Oh I know she was there and now so do the rest of LA." Sian pulled the screen round to her; there was a photo of her leaning in very close to Sophie talking okay the photo looked a little intimate but nothing she couldn't deny, then she saw the headline

'_**Powers back in contact with ex flame from college'**__ it seems Sian Powers Hollywood's current flavour of the month has a more colourful past than she led us to believe. Pictured here with Sophie Webster of Tainsurance the company that dealt with the insurance for the filming of 'The Remote,' is an ex lover from college, Webster 25 was removed from the account after Powers 26 said she couldn't work with her after a fight in bathroom toilet that turned violent. Webster had been involved with Dan Irwing heir to the Irwing Hotel chain fortune but they broke up round about the time Webster and Powers started working together last year. Coincidence we think not, a source close to the former couple said 'they were very hot and heavy in college everyone knew they were together but then Powers just disappeared one day, she was rumoured to have cheated on Webster and dropped out of college due to pregnancy rumours.' This journalist can't help but wonder why Webster and Irwing actually broke up, why was Webster removed from the account and what did Powers do that was so bad in college. Check back later for more news. _

Sian sat open mouthed at the laptop screen. "What the fuck? Where did they get that from?" Sian was on her feet pacing around. "So I will ask you again who you were talking to last night." Tim had his arms folded. "No one, it was just me, Sophie, Rosie, Britney and then some of her friends joined us. That was it I only had a couple of drinks and then left." Tim nodded believing her. "Okay so someone from last night has to have leaked the story." Sian ran her hands through her hair in annoyance. "Britney didn't even know that I knew Rosie and Sophie so it has to have been either Rosie or Sophie that sold the story. Pregnant! Really! Who the hell is Dan Irwing? Pregnant! Cheated! Hot and heavy! I will fucking kill them! Why now? Why bother? God what is it with these Webster's are they out to destroy me!" Sian ranted before storming out the kitchen and slamming her bedroom door. "Its okay baby I will get to the bottom of this." Tim said to himself as she dialled Sophie's office number.


	15. Chapter 15

"Sian you need to calm down." Tim pointed his finger at Sian motioning for her to sit down. "Hello? Yes may I speak to Sophie Webster please?...of course do you have her cell number I can reach her on please?...thank you very much for your help." Tim scribbled down on a pad Sophie's cell number. "Right I am going to call Sophie and try and sound her out, not accuse her straight away. I will put a call into Dianna to try and find out who the mystery blogger is. You need to go for a run and calm down okay." Sian nodded like a naught school girl. "Fine I am going, I sometime wish there was a time machine that I could get in and stop myself ever meeting her. Just when I think I am finally past all of this something sucks me back in." Tim gave a sympathetic smile and carried on plugging Sophie's number into his phone. "Voicemail, of course. Hi Sophie, this is Tim can you please call me as soon as you get this message. It is very urgent." Tim threw his phone on the kitchen counter in frustration.

"Soph, Soph! I know you are in I can hear the TV, just open the door." Sophie sighed and went to the door to let Rosie in. "Look Rosie I am really not in the mood today." Rosie skipped on in and waved bagels at her sister. "What the hell happened last night? I had to turn my phone off with the amount of calls I have been getting, my Blackberry crashed from emails. Who would do this?" Sophie threw herself back down on the sofa rubbing at her temple. "Soph I don't know okay, what did your boss say?" Sophie let out a snort. "He wants to see me first thing Monday morning." Rosie handed Sophie a bagel. "I'm sorry Soph, but I am surprised it didn't come out before. Some of the girls from the sorority house were bound to know what was going on, and your old roommate. Money talks Soph." Sophie's head was thumping and showed no sign of improving. "I am screwed! Sian is obviously going to think it was me; I know I am going to get my ass chewed out by my boss. I know I deserve this for the way I treated Sian in college, karma is a bitch." Rosie put her arm around Sophie. "You don't deserve this, you are a good person Soph you just made a bad decision, you picked your family over a friend. And if I was a better sister that would have been the right choice. I will sort this I promise." Sophie sighed and just leaned back on the sofa as her Blackberry went off again. "Soph your Blueberry is going off again." Rosie threw it at her. "Its a Blackberry Rosie, a BLACKBERRY how many times!" Rosie smirked knowingly.

"Well well, Miss Webster it's about time you returned my calls." Tim smirked into his phone. "Tim its Rosie." Tim closed his eyes knowing his day was about to get worse. "And to what do I owe the pleasure? Or is Sophie too chicken shit to admit to her mistakes, hiding yet again behind her big sister." Rosie winced at Tim's comments. "No Sophie doesn't know I am calling she is taking a nap at the moment, I wondered if we could meet for coffee?" Tim paused for a second gathering his thoughts. "Rosie whatever it is that you think I want to hear just tell me on the phone." Rosie knew he wouldn't accept her invitation straight away and didn't blame him. "I thought you would say that but do think it would be easier to discuss this in person. It is a beneficial to you and Sian as it is to Sophie." Tim sighed. "Fine, there is a Starbucks on 32nd Avenue meet me there in thirty minutes, do not be late." Rosie heard the call disconnect. "Time to take one for the team." Rosie whispered as she looked in at her sleeping sister.

Sian had returned from her run feeling calming than she had before she left, nothing seemed to clear her head like going for a long run with music blaring from her headphones. She noticed that Tim wasn't in when she got back and decided to turn her phone back on to see if she had any important messages. "16 new voicemails, 56 text messages, 83 emails and 1,234 tweets, you have got to be shitting me!" Sian cursed and turned her phone back off, before jumping in the shower quickly. This is ridiculous that my past is continuing to haunt me so much, I never even did anything wrong, Sian's mind was swirling from Sophie to William to Rosie to her parents. Everything she had worked so hard to ignore for the last 5 years and now it was all in her mind like it happened yesterday and the pain was still the same. "Dam you Webster!" Sian moaned looking at her sad face in the mirror how could one person affect her so much still after all this time. "I was over you, I was moving on with my life, I was starting to let people in again. Okay that's a lie." Sian smirked at herself. "Is this really what years of therapy has done to me, talking to myself in the mirror. Your pathetic Sian do you know that, no wonder Sophie didn't want you." Sian blinked away a few tears and washed her face.

"God was is it with Starbucks till playing Damien Rice, do they try and depress you into staying longer and drinking more coffee." Rosie huffed as she threw had handbag down waiting on Tim arriving. "Rosie I would like to say it is pleasure to see you, but we both know it is a chore." Rosie pulled a face at Tim as he sat down. "Nice to see you have matured over the years Tim as time hasn't been kind to your hair or should I say lack of." Tim chuckled at Rosie's attempted insult. "Lets just get down to business what was so important we couldn't discuss it over the phone." Rosie took a gulp of her coffee. "Let me start by saying neither Sophie nor I leaked this story. I know you don't care but Sophie has a meeting with her boss on Monday and it looks like she is going to be fired due to the bad publicity for her company. But a mole still remains and someone that was out last night knew about the history of Sophie and Sian otherwise they wouldn't have bothered to take a photo of them." Tim nodded in agreement. "This leaves us with a number of suspects. Britney she works with Sophie and discovered we all knew each other from college she could have taken the photo and sold it. Also there are some ex sorority girls from UCLA that would have known about Sophie and Sian when it all went down that day on campus we both know the gossip mill went into overdrive." Rosie looked at Tim to see if was agreeing with her. "Rosie you are pointing out the obvious to me here." Rosie leaned forward. "Look you know the saying keep your friends close and your enemies even closer well we will work out the rat if work together. Sophie doesn't need this kind of attention anymore than Sian does." Tim kept his face blank but Rosie did have a point. "Fine, follow me."

"Tim did you manage to sort that bitch out?" Sian called out from her bedroom when she heard the front door open. "Yeah you could say that, meet me in the kitchen." Tim shouted back. "Good the sooner I never had to set eyes on Sophie Webster again the better!" Sian spat with venom as she came out of her bedroom to come face to face with Sophie Webster. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sian stammered out. "Tim brought me here." Sophie whispered back dropping her eyes to the floor. "Sian calm down, look Rosie and I met earlier today and we both agree we can find out a lot quicker who this mole is if we work together and deal with them before something else comes out." Sian glared from Tim to Sophie who still kept her eyes on the floor. "Tim a word." Sian snapped heading back into her bedroom. "Tim what the hell were you thinking...oh that's right you weren't! Why the fuck would you bring her here, so she can take pictures of me in my own home and pretend we are having an affair...Tim why!" Tim had seen Sian mad before but now she was livid. "She is poison Tim, POISON. We have both said it...get her out of here. She broke me...this is the one person that has the power to completely and utterly destroy me and you brought her into my home!" Tim scratched at his head wondering how he let Rosie talk him into this. "Sian...look...I." Sian turned away from him as he tried to touch her. "Sian." Both Sian and Tim whirled around to see Sophie stood in the doorway looking wrecked. "I know I have no right to be here and you have no reason to believe me. But I promise you I did not go to the press, I wouldn't do that to you." Sian snorted her annoyance. "Wouldn't do that to me, really Soph? Ah but you would turn your back on me when I needed you most so forgive me for not thinking your promise means shit."

Rosie winced at how cold Sian sounded so different from the warm loving girl she knew from college. Rosie was worried for Sophie she wasn't sure how much abuse she could take from Sian but to say the first cut is the deepest is obviously not a lie as whatever their feeling were towards each other they were still very strong. "Shit what was I thinking?" Tim complained to Rosie as she snuck out of Sian's room. "Tim they have to battle this out between them, neither of them are going to move on until they can find some sort of peace." Tim nodded she was right. "Your right I know you are but I hate to think of my best friend being in so much pain and how I have played a part in it." Rosie sat down at the coffee bar. "I know I have carried along the guilt of Sophie's heartbreak for a long time, not that it isn't deserved before you bitch slap me." They could clearly hear Sian still shouting at Sophie in her room. "She still loves her you know, as much as I have tried to get Sian to move on she can't, she can't let go of Sophie and what she thought they were going to have." Rosie chewed her cheeks. "I know Sophie is the same, they were both so in love with each other without realising it and then just as they were going to be together fate stepped in." Tim put his coffee down with a thud. "You mean Rosie Webster stepped in with her lies." Rosie cleared her throat. "You say me I say fate."

"I deserve that I know I do Sian, please I am begging you. Just give me 5 minutes please?" Sian looked over to Sophie she looked so small and fragile in contrast who she saw at the dinner on only 6 months earlier even. Sophie took Sian's silence as a yes. "I'm sorry, I am more sorry than you will ever know for how I treated you. If I could go back and change things I would in a heartbeat but I can't. But I never meant to hurt you then and I would never hurt you now." Sian crossed her arms and starred. "More sorry than I will ever know, really Sophie? Why didn't you ever try and look for me? You never even tried did you? Even when I appeared in the trade papers you could have tried, nope nothing. Can you believe that when I used to get a number I didn't recognise come up on my cell I used to pray it was you." Sophie didn't have an answer. "I didn't know how to find you, I was 20 years old Sian I didn't know anything let alone how to track someone down that doesn't want to be found." Sian shook her head. "You didn't even try, if you love someone Sophie you would do anything for them. I thought you loved me the way I love...d you." Sophie looked Sian in the eye for the first time at the slip up of the girls word. "I did Sian, I loved you so much. I was stupid I was immature I was selfish I know all of this. But I would rather hurt myself that cause you any more pain. Please please you have got to believe me." Sian wanted to believe Sophie she really did but it was all too raw still, seeing her just brought all the hurt back. "I can't Soph I'm sorry." Sophie wiped her tears with the back of her hand, everything she wanted in life was stood in front of her and she was damned if she was going to walk away again. "I know you don't want to hear this Sian but...when I said I loved you I didn't meant it." Sian felt like someone had punched her in the gut as the hurt flashed across her face Sophie moved closer. "I LOVE you, I am IN love with you." Sian didn't move she couldn't move, in the space of ten minutes Sophie had gone from some weak begging girl to this strong and confident woman in front of her that was getting closer. "One day  
we'll meet again and you'll need me, you'll see me completely, every little bit and maybe you'll love me, you'll love me then." Sophie spoke with a low and husky voice as she leaned in closer to Sian she pulled back to capture the gorgeous blue eyes with her own, her Sian was still there. Sian was holding her breath convinced Sophie was about to kiss her and powerless to stop her, Sophie leaned in again but this time kissed Sian on the cheek before turning on her heels and walking out the door.

"Either they have killed each other or they are making out." Rosie joked as they noticed the shouting had stopped. "I guess so but who is going to check. Rock paper scissors?" Before they had the chance to work it out Sophie came walking out the door looking very calm and composed. "Rosie, let's go." Sophie glared over to Tim and just kept walking. "Oh right, erm Tim I guess I will see you soon." Tim just nodded. "Sophie what the hell happened in there, one minute you two were screaming at each other and then the next it went quiet." Sophie couldn't help but smile to herself remembering Sian's scent and how wonderfully soft her skin was. "I don't know but I think that maybe Sian has just given a millimetre of a chance."

Tim thought it was best just to leave Sian on her own until she wanted to talk she knew where he was if she wanted him. Sian came out of her room a couple of hours later humming a song. "What song are you humming?" Tim asked worried about the Jekyll and Hyde behaviour. "Oh its Kelly Clarkson, Maybe you should give it a listen." Tim raised his eyebrows now. "Thats a bit old school isn't it, I mean Kelly Clarkson hasn't realised anything since my freshmen year at college." And then it clicked with Tim it was something to do with Sophie. "So you and Sophie?" Sian twirled around feeling happier than she had in ages. "We are in a better place." Sian grabbed an apple and tossed it in the air before biting into it. Once Sophie had left her words kept repeating in her mind so Sian did a Sally and hit Google, sure enough they were Kelly Clarkson lyrics the song seemed to say everything Sian wouldn't let Sophie say to her. Tim was about to question Sian further when his phone went off. "Hello?...really?...same site?...okay thanks for letting me know." Tim sighed and headed back to his laptop and started typing much like he had that morning. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Sian swallowed hard on the apple not liking the change in Tim's mood and leaning over his shoulder to see what he was looking at, Sian gasped nearly choking.

'_**Powers proves first cut is the deepest'**__ Sian Powers who was only last night pictured looking very cosy with her ex lesbian lover from college seems to be proving the old lesbian u-haul jokes may not be so out of date if this photo is anything to go by. Sophie Webster who works for Tainsurance was caught leaving Powers Hollywood home late this afternoon after sharing a searing kiss with the actress. It is well known these two had a very intimate relationship in college that was backed up by Webster's ex boyfriend Dan Irwing. "Sophie and I were fine until Sian came back on the scene. I knew they had a thing in college but I thought it was over with." So we now have confirmation they were indeed a couple and now confirmation they are back together, but this journalist is still curious why Sian dropped out of college and did she really give her baby up for adoption due to her drug addictions. One thing is for sure this story has legs and its only getting going, check back later for more news._

Sian stood open mouthed at the photo of Sophie and her, it was from when Sophie kissed her on the cheek and from the angle of the photo it looked like a full on make out session. "How would they even know Sophie was here unless someone tipped them off!" Sian asked quietly. "I have no idea sweetie but it seems out rat has struck again." Tim looked over to Sian and her whole attitude had changed in a matter of seconds the hurt look was back on her face with her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I can't believe I nearly fell for her, for it again." Sian sobbed into Tim.


	16. Chapter 16

"Sian I'm sorry I don't know what to say. I thought Sophie might have matured as well. Why I even listened to Rosie I will never know." Tim was rubbing soothing circle on Sian's back as she was slumped over the kitchen counter. "When I looked her in the eye I saw my Sophie the one 19 year old Sophie. I just feel so stupid." Sian continued mumbling into her sleeve. "Look Sian better to have found out now, you can finally let go of the ridiculous perfect image that you have held onto of Sophie. You really do need to move on." Sian didn't respond she couldn't her heart wouldn't let her. "I have a couple of meetings to attend you going to be okay here?" Sian just nodded as she strolled back into her bedroom closing the door.

"What the hell!" Sian screeched hearing constant banging on the door, she must have fallen asleep. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" Sian stopped dead when she saw who was stood at the door. "What do you want? Need more paparazzi photos?" she sneered. "I came to talk to you." Sian rolled her eyes this girl was unbelievable. "Just leave me alone Sophie." Sophie was doing her best to keep it together when her temper kicked in. "No. I won't leave you alone. I've been calling you for 4 hours since this shit storm hit. I've had the paparazzi following me and my family everywhere asking for comments. I don't know what to say to not make things any worse. Rosie is having a fit because she is being photographed with bad hair, my Mum keeps putting her hand on her hip like some super model muttering she is modelling from H to T, and my Dad nearly punched one of them. Oh and I just got a phone call from my boss to say I've been sacked. 4 years of hard work all down the drain. So yes Sian we are going to talk about this because I am way out of my depth." Sian studied Sophie's face as she finished her rant, she did seem scared and upset she wasn't that good an actress. "Sophie I need you to tell me the truth did you set up the photos?" Hurt clouded over Sophie's eyes and as the corners of her mouth unknowingly fell. "No I didn't."

Sian continued to stare at Sophie trying to read her face, the one she used to be able to tell what Sophie was feeling just with a simple smile or movement of her eyebrows. "Sophie I really want to believe you but..." Sophie sighed. "But you don't. I get it Sian I wouldn't trust me either, but I am being 100% honest I have nothing to do with the photos or the stupid stories." Sian moved into the kitchen to put some coffee on. "Sophie I just...I'm not ready for this...for us." Sian motioned her hand between them. "I mean there are no us, I can't go back, and I won't." Sophie was now more confused than ever. "Sian please tell me if I am out of line here but I came here to talk about the photos and how to get it to stop. But now you are talking about us?" Sian slammed her mug down on the counter. "I hate this, I hate the way I can control myself with everyone but you. I build up all these walls to protect myself. You're back in my life a couple of days and I am already a jabbering wreck." Sophie couldn't help herself and smiled reaching her hand out for Sian to take; Sian for a second hesitated moving so slightly closer to Sophie. "No Sophie you don't get to do that." Sophie sighed and pulled back "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just turn back into 19 year old me around you. And well 19 year old me wanted to hold you when you were upset." Sian turned away to continue making the coffee. "I meant what I said earlier." Sophie felt useless here was the girl she had loved for so long stood in front of her and there was nothing she could do to make Sian believe her.

"I like big butts and I cannot lie, You other brothers can't deny..." Sophie's eye popped out of her head as she made a grab for her phone. "Rosie!" Sian shook her head in laughter even under the circumstances only Rosie Webster would want a ring tone like that associated with her. "You've got to be kidding me...how...fine...yes fine...bye." Sophie let out a sigh and put her phone on the counter. "That was Rosie seems we have another update." Sian ran over to the laptop and searched for the offending article. Sian could hear her own phone buzzing somewhere "Hi...yeah so I heard...Sophie is here with me...yeah okay."

_**'Powers HIV rumours'**__ this story really isn't going away and whoever handles Miss Powers PR needs to be sacked. A nurse that used to work at the UCLA medical centre has come forward, it seems there was a HIV epidemic whilst Powers was studying there and she herself was tested. Due to hospital confidentially we can't reveal her test results but Powers current girlfriend Sophie Webster has long been a strong supporter of HIV/AIDS charities. Could this be the reason for Powers dropping out of college, in other news Webster has quit her job at Tainsurance to spend more time with her reunited lover. Sally Webster mother of Sophie has confirmed the relationship when asked earlier today what she thought "I am very excited." There have been reports of Powers weight and gaunt appearance being for a film part, but with her schedule wide open and now the reappearance of Webster...well I am sure my clever readers can put two and two together and perhaps come up with four..._

"Sophie! FUCK!" Sian hissed spinning the screen round for Sophie to read. Sophie scanned over the article. "Sian that is nothing, my Mum was excited about the paparazzi following her that was her answer when they asked her what she thought of the whole thing. And with everything written in that article that is the part you concentrate on." Sian rubbed at her face. "So in the last couple of days I have come out as a lesbian, given up a baby for adoption, and been a drug addict and now I am dying from AIDS. Wow I have been busy!" Sophie took a look at Sian with her hair standing on end and in her flap to get to the screen she had spilt coffee grains all over herself and now resembled a Dalmatian. "Pssssp" Sophie tried her best to contain her laughter but Sian's head snapped round to glare at Sophie. "Exactly how is this funny Sophie!" As Sian gestured wildly with her hands the coffee grains went everywhere. "I'm sorry it's not but you have erm coffee grains all over you." Sian glared at Sophie as she started wiping herself down.

Sophie rubbed awkwardly at the back of her neck as she chewed on her bottom lip wondering what to say next. "How do you do that?" Sian asked. "What?" The coldness had left Sian's voice leaving her even more confused. "I go from wanting to kill you to, and now all I want to do is hug you and tell you everything is going to be okay." Sophie scratched at the back of her neck again. "It's a talent I guess. I don't know Sian. I don't know what to say to make you feel better, to believe me when I say I had nothing to do with this. I want to kill my Mum and her inability to stop googling everything and waving at the paparazzi. I want to go and hide under a rock and come back out again in 6 months when all of this has died down. I'm wondering why I bothered working so hard for the last 4 years for it all to be taken away from me in one day." Sophie stopped her monologue for a moment to look at Sian. "But most of all I want you to hug me and tell me everything is going to be okay." Sophie dropped her eyes down the ring she was pulling on and off her finger a nervous habit she had developed. Before she knew what was happening her senses were engulfed with Sian's sweet scent and strong arms wrapping around her. "I'm only hugging you because I need this as well." Sian mumbled into Sophie's shoulder.

It felt like coming home Sophie thought to herself as she silently hummed to herself at the wonder of having Sian in her arms again, and then the cold hit her again as Sian retracted back into her crossed arms pose. "Tim seems to think there is a mole somewhere, so who did you tell that you were coming over here?" Sian asked as she carried on with the coffee. "No one I swear, only Rosie and I knew and as much as Rosie has let me down in the past she has changed. I don't think she would do this." Sian scoffed. "Sorry if I have trouble believing you Soph, but this is the same girl that lied about me in college." Sian spun round and looked Sophie in the eye; the hurt was still there to see. "Sian I am so sorry for college, for Rosie but most of all I am sorry for the way I behaved. I should have listened I should have given you a chance to explain...' Sian raised her hand and shook her head. "I don't care Soph, I can't care. I learnt a hard lesson and that is that the only person I can rely on is me." Sophie swallowed hard. "Please don't let the actions of a naive twenty year old ruin your life." Sian closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "But you weren't just a naive twenty year old to me, you were my...my everything. Well what I thought I wanted my everything to be. I was only twenty one as well Sophie." Sophie could feel the tears building but knew she couldn't cry.

Sian brushed away her own tears with the palm of her hand. "I am only going to say this one more time. I need you to be out of my life Soph, this is too hard. I have worked too hard to get over you to have you walk back into my life to ruin me again." Sophie desperately wanted to wipe the lingering tears stains off Sian's face knowing the glistening tracks on her cheeks were ones she had created. "Sian I am going to keep saying this until you will listen to me. I love you and I am not going anywhere until I can prove to you that I can be trusted. I won't lose you again, I am going to..." "Please Sophie don't say fight for our love, quoting some cheesy song title." Sian spat back. "The best I can ever offer you now is mates." Sophie raised her eyebrows hearing Sian say mate just sounded odd in her American accent. "Mate?" The question was out before Sophie could help it. "Yeah a mate. A friend I used to have once explained to me the difference between a friend and a mate. A friend you see is someone that will never let you down, will always be there, the good and the bad. A mate...well a mate is just an acquaintance someone you meet up with occasionally but never trusts anything with. Or if you want to be really accurate a mate is someone that just isn't really good enough to be considered a friend but you keep in contact because you feel you have to." Sophie pursed her lips. "I told you that and your taking out of context what I said."

"It doesn't matter. If I meant anything to you or I still do as you claim please just leave me alone. It's the least you can do." Sophie stood still for a moment to collect her thoughts "Do you want to be safe and good, or do you want to take a chance and be great?" Sian looked at Sophie like she was insane. "What?" Sophie grimaced at her mistake. "No I meant do you want settle. Or will you take a chance? A chance on something that could be great?" Sophie still wasn't sure if that came out right and judging by Sian's face it had not. "You once told me 'The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.' And I know you said that a long time ago, but I really." "STOP. Just stop. You're quoting Ghandi to me seriously? I was saying that to you when you were moaning at me because Rosie ruined your new top, hardly the same thing." Sophie sighed. "No it's not but I hope you still think that even a little bit. Look I'm going to go as we aren't getting anywhere here. Just know I am not selling stories about us and neither is my family. I will do my best to work with Tim even though he also hates me to find this mole. But do know that even though you're not my friend right now, I am yours so if you need anything." Sian kept her face unreadable. "Fine." Sophie went to move for the door.

"Shit!" Sophie shrieked as a flash bulb went off in her face when she opened the door, Sian came running from the kitchen just as Sophie went to walk outside she reached for her and pulled her back inside slamming the door shut. "How the hell did they know I was here?" Sophie moaned trying to rub the bright lights out of her eyes. "Think Sophie who knows you are here." Sian was pacing again seemed this was her new hobby. "No one once I was fired I got in my car and drove for a bit before coming here. My phone isn't even on." Sophie reached into her pocket to show Sian. "You could have just turned it off." Sophie thrust her Blackberry at Sian. "Look turn it on and check when the last email was received that will tell you when I last had it on." Sian hated having to check but she had to, sure enough a couple of minutes later an influx of texts and emails came through Sophie was telling the truth. "The only other person that knows you is here is apparently me. None of this makes sense." Sophie scanned her texts. "Hang on who called you when I was on the phone to Rosie, didn't you mention I was here?" Sian frowned for a moment trying to think. "Oh that was just Tim." Sian didn't like the tone in Sophie's voice. "If you think Tim is the mole you can get that thought out of your head straight away." Sophie looked from the phone to Sian again. "The only two people that know we are together are Rosie and Tim so one of them has to be the mole. I don't think Rosie..." Sian put her hand up. "Do not finish that sentence unless..." "I don't want to think its Tim either but think about it Rosie doesn't have any contacts in the media to create this much of a storm." Sian would never admit it but that part was true enough...


	17. Chapter 17

Sian sat looking out at the sea, the beach always calmed her. One thing about being an up and coming actress in Hollywood meant certain perks like finally being able to afford to live not too far from the beach. "So Carol what do you think?" Still sevens year after her sister's death Sian would talk to her. "Should I trust Sophie? What about Rosie?" It had been a week since Sophie had made the suggestion to Sian that Tim could be the one leaking the stories to the press. It made no sense then and it didn't now, why would he sell her out now just as life was improving for them both. As her manager Tim made money when she did.

In the last seven days more and more stories came to the surface about Sian's past. Stories about Carol, her own addiction problems, her Dad had sold a great story to the National Enquirer about how Sian had ruined his life and basically wished she had never been born; from birth he could just tell she was going to be trouble. "I just don't know what to do, I have no one to trust or guide me. I am hanging on here the best I can Carol." Sian looked down at the bottle of vodka in her hand. It was the easy way out she knew it, whilst never quite as bad as her sister Sian had walked precariously close to the edge.

Sian always went to Tim but she even doubted him now. It wasn't until one of her new co-stars in her latest movie asked who her PR agent was that she realised Tim had been handling the calls from her PR people. When she got home that night Sian asked Tim to arrange a meeting for her with the possibility of changing, the meeting had not gone well.

Two days ago...

"Sian if we change PR representation now it will make us look bad, we only signed up to BWR six months ago. They are a great firm." Tim had a feeling Sophie must have said something to make Sian question him. "What did Sophie say to you when she was here? Why do you want to make changes now during this shit storm?" Sian didn't know herself; the only thing she did know is that at the moment she felt very alone in the world. "Well why aren't they doing more, I am being torn apart in the press."

"Sweetie I told you. Nicole said to wait it out, trust me when I tell you they have buried a lot of the other stories." Sian glared over to her friend and manager. "What other stories?" "I am taking care of you I promise Sian, I swear on my life. Nicole knows what she is doing; we have to put our trust in the professionals." Tim was way out of his depth and he knew it, if it wasn't for the power BWR had in Hollywood and the fact Sian was already a client he knew both their careers would be over. "What other stories I want to know. I want to know what other lies there are about me. Have they found out who the mole is yet?"

Tim's phone always knew when to go off at the perfect moment; if Sian didn't know better she would think he had a button hidden in his pockets than he pressed to make it ring. "Hello?...okay we will be right over." Sure smart phones were great but Tim missed the satisfaction of the old flip phones that you could snap shut. "That was Nicole she wants to see us now." Another part of Hollywood that Sian has learned is when your PR agent calls and asks to see you, it's never normally a good thing.

"Sian, please come in won't you." Nicole stated rather than asked as she noticed Tim was busy on the phone. "I'll cut to the chase Sian. We had a firm PR plan in place, after your last film was a moderate hit we were going to start slow. With you attending the correct events and screenings, building you up in the press again. All in time for your new film 'Document' due out in the fall. I have spoken with Adrian and he said the film is looking great in post production." Nicole terrified Sian so she just nodded to let her know she was paying attention. "The problem is I have more press for you at the moment than I know how to handle. This is a shit storm of a mess, and I can't issue any more 'no comments' statements. First of all why didn't you tell me any of this when we met six months ago as I am going to assume some of this must be true. The sources are too strong to deny."

Sian never asked for any of this, none of it. Now she was stuck in downtown Hollywood with one of tinsel towns most powerful PR agents looking like she wanted to kill her. "Sian if I don't know what I am dealing with, I can't help you." That made Sian sit up, she remembered being told that by a certain Rosie Webster many years ago. "I thought it was your job to make me look good, to protect me from this mess." Sian snapped back fed up of being seen as the bad person.

"Sian this conversation will go one of two ways, cut the crap and just tell me everything and I help you out of this mess. Or you continue to blame me for your own naivety and I will attend your funeral in about five years from now as the actress that could have been." Nicole held Sian's eyes she didn't enjoy being a bitch but she had done some investigating on her client and didn't like what she had read.

"I know about your sister Carol and how she overdosed. Rehab is shit unless you stick at it and for longer than 30 days. There is nothing more you could have done to help her." Nicole had Sian's full attention now, seems her PR agent knew much more than she was letting on. "What has my sister got to do with anything?" This was going to be a very long meeting. "Sian since you didn't tell me anything other than the waitress made good on the American dream story I did my own research. I am here to work with you not against you. Are you in AA or NA?"

"What the actual FUCK?" Sian was on her feet now. "Carol was the addict a drug addict. Not me, I have never touched crystal meth. It tore my sister apart. What has any of this got to do with my career, this is personal I don't want anyone knowing any of this." As quick as her anger had blown up it had deflated again with the door opening and Tim sticking his head in. "Tim I need a moment alone with my client." Nicole spoke smoothly. "I am her manager and I think..." "I don't give fuck what you think. Sian is my client and this is a confidential meeting. Sue if you can clear my schedule for the rest of the day and escort Tim to conference room 5 with a peppermint tea that would be perfect." Nicole knew how to play the politics.

"Sian I want to hear your own version of what happened from 2012 onwards. We can fix this I promise you. I would also advise you to hire a new manager I can recommend someone for you." Just as Sian was about to argue Nicole lifted her hand. "I know Tim is your friend and a great one but he is way out of his depth here, I think he could be our mole without even knowing he is. If you want to keep Tim as your friend you have to fire him." If Sian was confused and lost before, now she just felt like there was too much liquid in her head and that her brain wasn't working for her.

"Fire Tim. You're insane! He is the only friend I have had for the last six years. If I fire him I will lose him. And what do you mean he could be the mole. I already asked him and he promised it wasn't him." Nicole flipped open the folder on her desk. "Tim is currently seeing a man called David Jones." Sian nodded her head. "David Jones is friends with Paul Homer whose cousin went to college with an Amber Field. Who was a Sophie Webster's roommate freshman year at UCLA." Sian scrunched her face trying to follow. "Paul Homer is one of the most disgusting rats to slither his way into this town, he will write a story on anyone and our mystery blogger about you. Not difficult to follow the chain from just a rumour to confirmed source. So you see Tim has been feeding the rat all along via David thinking he is discussing you in a confidential manner."

Now Sian felt very exposed. "But it wasn't Sophie that said anything?" Nicole raised her eyebrows towards her client. "No Sophie has never said anything about you to the press of any member of her family. Well apart from a Sally Webster that makes very unhelpful comments to the paparazzi." Even with Tim's slight betrayal she was relieved to know Sophie has nothing to do with it and smiled for the first time since entering the office. "Before you tell me everything and I do mean everything this time. I have some good news. It is true when they say no publicity is bad publicity. You got the part you screen tested for last week; the director felt you had life experiences you could draw on for the part. But for now tell me everything."

"Okay Rosie Webster was my sister's best friend in college. They were in the same year together at UCLA and both pledged to Delta Gamma as freshmen. Rosie was a like duck to water to sorority life, Carol did it because it was expected of her, and well she liked to party. I knew Rosie through Carol. Through high school my academics I never really focused enough on, and I partied a little harder than I should have. Carol and I were very much cut from the same cloth. As you know Carol died 16th November 2013 she overdosed on crystal meth. She had been out of rehab for three months and seemed to doing better..." Sian stopped to compose herself and looked to Nicole.

"Carol never managed to break free from the friends she had outside of college and ultimately her addiction beat her. I blamed myself for years; I had only been out with her night before and remembered thinking she seemed more edgy than normal. She was back using but was better at hiding it that she was before. She was smoking rather than injecting so there was no track marks. I should have asked her how she was doing with her sobriety when she asked me to hang out again that night, we were close but two nights in a row was too much Sian for her she would tease me. I was too caught up in studying for a stupid high school test to attempt to make Daddy proud, and told her I didn't have time."

Nicole had moved from behind her desk and took a look at the young woman in front of her. It was clear her sister was one of the few people in the world that took the time to see past the blond hair and gorgeous face, and the shattered soul that was hidden beneath. "She was just a junior in college her whole life ahead of her, Rosie took it very hard and sort of took me on as a surrogate sister. I was firmly pulled under the Delta Gamma umbrella of protection the rest of my freshman year. Sophie Webster is of course Rosie's younger sister she was a freshman when I was a sophomore. Sounds stupid and cliché but I think I fell in love with her the moment I met her."

"So far nothing surprising has come up that I didn't know already Sian. But with the mention of Sophie Webster I have to ask you. Are you straight, gay, bi, try sexual? Seems even the impossible I have found god and re-grown my virginity card is back in fashion again. So what are you? I don't care I just like to know what I am working with." Sian knew the question was coming she was asked it a lot. "Before Sophie the idea of being with a woman wasn't ever something I thought about. I was the perfect party girl slut with all the football, hockey, soccer, polo players at college. I suppose Sophie made me feel things I didn't know I could before."

Fabulous I have a true romantic on my hands Nicole thought to herself at the lack of answer. "So you are straight and had a fling with a girl in college, super. Let's move on." Sian could feel she was blushing and composed herself for a second. "Well erm...I suppose...you could say." Nicole just dropped her head onto the desk. "Jesus Sian! Do you talk to anyone about anything? You are getting signed up too see my shrink." Nicole added yet more to her to do list. "I have only had Tim, I lost my sister, and my parents disowned me when I was twenty one. Oh and I was dumped by my girlfriend and best friend over said best friends lies. So excuse me if I have some trust issues."

"And this is why you will be going to see my shrink to see if we can sort through some of that mess in your head. This town will eat you alive unless you have a good support system around you." Sian rolled her eyes; it was only the four hundred and fifty seventh time someone had told her that. "Fine my name is Sian Powers and I like ladies. I drink too much when I feel l can't handle things; I have been in AA and will now be returning it seems." Sian gave a fake smile at the end. "I don't want to come out waving my rainbow flag; you don't have to come out as straight so I don't want to have to come out as gay." Nicole agreed and generally advised her clients to just keep quiet until someone serious was in their life.

"That explains why you are never worried about being linked with the latest boy toy in town. Keep the rumours away from your sexuality. But with this Sophie story coming out excuse the pun I will have to draft a press release." Nicole picked up her phone. "Sue can you ask Tim to join us please. Also arrange a meeting with Emma Acer and Sian for as soon as you can. Fix an appointment with Barry Watson for Sian as well please. Thank you." If there was ever a time for this sofa to swallow her, Sian wished it could happen now. Or just fast forward time, either was fine with her.

"Tim thanks for coming back in to join us. Sian and I have covered a lot of ground and will cover more at our 8am breakfast meeting tomorrow. Before I will issue a press release" Nicole winked at Sian as she squirmed in her seat. "Tim you are fired." Sian got whiplash at how easy Nicole told her friend he was fired. "What? You can't do that. Only Sian can fire me." Nicole waved her hand towards Sian to take over as she looked bored at the files on her desk. "Your fired Tim." Sian whispered out. "This is bullshit. What is going on? What has she said to you Sian?" Nicole looked up now, time to play nice with the children.

"Tim you were the mole without knowing it. You do not have the experience to take Sian to this next level of her career. I advised Sian if she wanted you two to stay friends she needed to fire you. Ultimately it is her decision you are correct. I would advise you as Sian's friend to step aside as her manager. I am happy to put you in contact with some friends in the business so you can learn more about what it takes to be a manager at this level." That made Sian feel a little better knowing Tim would be able to get another job.

"This is fucking bullshit! You agreed to this Sian? Here I am trying to protect you. And the first sniff of scandal or a great film part you dump me. Do you know what fuck this shit I quit!" On that Tim did his best diva storm out leaving a speechless Sian behind. "Ms Powers you and I will meet here again tomorrow at 8am. There will be coffee I know I need it in the morning." Sian nodded and tumbled out of the office trying to call Tim on his cell phone knowing it would go the voicemail. "Tim I am sorry."

Tim didn't come home that night and by the end of the next day Sian had a new manager called Emma Acer who couldn't believe the contract she and Tim had to begin with. She had her first appointment with Barry Watson to sort her shit out as both Nicole and Emma had told her. Life was moving forward but without Tim and also without Sophie it seemed. It was agreed that Sian should keep her distance from Sophie for the time being, what Sian couldn't figure out is why that seemed to upset her more than Tim.

* * *

**Press release from BWR on behalf of Sian Powers – Sian Powers is now being managed by Emma Acer after parting ways with her manager of the last three years Tim Howell. "I have nothing but the upmost respect for Sian; and she is in excellent hands with Emma. I look forward to seeing where Sian's career takes her next." Tim is quoted. "I am delighted to be working with Sian going forward." Emma Acer confirmed. A further press release will follow later today.**

'_**Powers on the move'**__ As if we needed further prove that Sian Powers has gone into melt down. BWR released a statement confirming Powers, 27 has a new manager. Hardly a shock and looks like damage control to us. Whilst the HIV scare and pregnancy rumours have continued to swirl round tinsel town, Powers own father put the boot in confirming his daughter has always been a wild child and he had to cut ties with his wayward daughter in an effort to protect the rest of the family. Sadly this didn't work with Carol Powers following her sister down the same destructive path, dying from a drug overdose in 2013. It is reported Sian didn't even attend her own sister's funeral as she was in rehab herself. Check back later for more developments._

"BWR isn't that the company that you are with now Soph?" Sally asked after the iPhone buzzed to life. "Well kind of they have someone assigned to me so I don't say something stupid. Why?" Sally twitched her nose and continued looking at her phone. "That is a dark path to follow Soph. Asking Mum why when she has her phone in front of her." Rosie joked. "They have said Sian has a new manager with more news to follow. Oh hang on." Sally's phone buzzed again. "Good grief." Sophie knew not to ask but she had to. "What are you good grief-ing about?"

"Well apparently Sian's parents had to disown her in an attempt to protect the rest of the family. You never told me that Soph; she seemed like such a nice girl too. Also she didn't even attend her own sister's funeral!" Sophie had grabbed the phone out of her Mum's hand now to read the article. "You have got to be kidding me! Mum stop reading this crap. I've told you before its all lies." Rosie was hovering over her sister's shoulder reading the same article. "Whoever this website is written by certainly has it in for Sian." Rosie remarked.

"No Mum do not speak to the paparazzi if you see them again. As much fun as it was being shouted at by Sian's PR people I don't want that again." Sophie warned as her Mum's phone buzzed again.

**Press release from BWR on behalf of Sian Powers – Following on from press reports recently we would like to set the record straight. We can confirm that Ms Powers was involved in a relationship with Sophie Webster during her sophomore year at UCLA, the two have recently been back in contact due to a joint project in relation to the 'The Webster Way' HIV/AIDS charity that Ms Webster's sister Rosie is the patron of. Further reports in the media in relation to Carol Powers death are inaccurate. Carol Powers sadly lost her battle against her addictions in 2013 during this difficult time Ms Powers attended the funeral with all her family members. Sian Powers continues to support addiction charities in the memory of her sister with whom she shared a special bond with. Ms Powers dropped out of UCLA after her family continued to struggle with her sister's death. We can also confirm Ms Powers is currently single, is not pregnant, has not previously and does not plan on entering rehab at the moment. We will issue no further comments on her personal life. **

Sophie stared at the screen on her Mum's phone. "Wow that was a lot of information." As she said that her own phone started ringing. "Hi Nicole...yes I just saw it...yes I will keep my mouth shut...no I have had no further paparazzi problems...no neither has my Mum...yes I will tell her. Thanks. Bye." Rosie looked over with a look of glee on her face. "You will have no problems getting a date now Soph. With news that you banged Sian Powers your stock has just risen." Sally looked aghast. "I thought you said it was just a phase Soph." Sophie never really confirmed or denied a romance with Sian to her Mum. Kevin knew everything put Sophie just knew what her Mum was like, she didn't mean to be judgemental she just was. "It was just a phase Mum, and a mistake. And really Rosie?" Sophie was looking forward to meeting up with Amber later for some drinks; they had stayed good friends since college. In fact just as Rosie was about to make another comment her phone went again. "Hi Amber..."

* * *

"Hi Sian, it's Emma I have sent a cease and desist letter to in regards to your personal life but so far it doesn't seem to have scared him. We really need to shut down any routes of communication to him. The entire Webster's family has signed a watertight confidentiality agreement about you. I have reached out to Tim but understandably he is not being the most helpful of people at the moment. I will update you when I have more information for you." Sian lay back on her towel after listening to her voicemail.

Tim hadn't returned any of her calls, it had been two days. Her new shrink Barry had said just to give him some space and he would come around. Sian wasn't so sure, for so long it had just been the two of them she felt like she had betrayed him let alone what he must think of her now. Sian had promised she would only speak to Sophie in relation to any charity work until this current issue with died down. Surely there must be more exciting people to write about than her. "Look at me Carol, it's Friday night and I am sat alone on a beach talking to you." To be fair the cast and crew on her current film were lovely she just didn't feel like going out drinking with them and assured Nicole she would stay out of the public eye as much as she could.

"Time to head back to the empty flat I guess." Sian muttered to herself as she picked up her towel and the unopened bottle of vodka, hoping she could keep it that way. Barry, Emma and Nicole all recommend that she get herself a sponsor just in case. But at the moment she really didn't feel like she needed one. "Tim? Tim? Are you home?" Sian called out hopefully as she got back into the flat. "Of course he isn't Sian you idiot." Sian continued on talking to herself as she went into the kitchen and noticed a note for her.

_Sian,_

_My darling I promise I am not mad with you, but more at myself for letting you down. Nicole is correct I am out of my depth and now my anger has gone I can see that. I just need a couple of days to go and lick my wounds and I will be back to my fabulous self. We have some celebrating to do with you getting that part in Short Boxer. I hear the academy calling already! _

_See you in a couple of days, love your forever brilliant and BFFFF friend Tim. xx_

Sian could feel the relief drain out of her already, knowing Tim has probably headed to San Francisco for a couple days, and that would explain why Emma can't get hold of him either. "Looks like pizza and a Netflix for one tonight then." Sian shook her head. "I really need to stop talking to myself. Excellent now I am talking to myself about talking to myself."

* * *

"Talk about a crazy time for you Soph." Amber smiled happily behind her mojito. "I know tell me about it. Karma is indeed a bitch I have decided and it bit me back hard." Sophie was scanning the cocktail menu deciding on what to try next. "Soph you were twenty when all this shit went down. Cut yourself some slack. You must have men and women crawling all over you now that Sian confirmed you two got it on college." Amber smirked. "I forgot how alike you and Rosie are. Really all we did was make out a couple of times. That is not really a relationship. All this press attention has ruined any chance I had of even being friends with Sian again as her publicist and manager have told me to stay away."

Amber did feel a little bad now for teasing her friend. "Soph I know you still have feelings for Sian it is written all over your face. But sadly for both of you fate has stepped in again and is determined you two aren't meant to be together." Sophie huffed. "Fate? I would more call it Rosie Webster and now a scary manager and publicist. I wish I didn't feel anything for her anymore. But the second I literately collided back into her world again I was nineteen again and could remember hanging out at the Delta Gamma house and how she used to look at me. If nothing else I want to at least be her friend, Sian always needed a friend and now even more so."

* * *

"How was your weekend?" Luke asked Sian politely at the lunch cart during a break from filming. "Very quiet thankfully, even nothing on the internet about me for a change." Sian smiled knowing Luke was just trying to make conversation; he played her boyfriend in the film and had asked her out. Now things were a little awkward after she rejected him. "That does make a change. With these drugs fuelled parties, pregnancy scares, and lesbian flings I am surprised you have time to work at all!" Luke stated seriously waiting on Sian laughing. "Too soon? Sorry. My Mum always warned me about my foot in mouth disease." Sian cracked up laughing. "I totally got you that time." At last someone who was more of a novice than she was about the press game.

"Sorry excuse me a moment Luke that is my publicist stalking towards me angrily and I don't think I want the whole set to see me getting shouted at." Sian walked in the direction Nicole was coming from and gestured for her to follow her towards her trailer. "Sian I wish this was a happier visit but well why don't you read for yourself." Nicole handed her iPad over.

'_**Fate steps in but it has a name' **__we thought the whole Sian Powers story had died down but we were wrong. After the press release from Powers publicist denying everything well except the relationship between Powers and Sophie Webste. I now have further insight into this claimed relationship. Seems all Powers and Webster did was make out a couple of times, hardly the love affair of the year as it was being sold to us. But my dear readers it turns out Webster still has a thing for the gorgeous Powers and wanted to try to make a go of it again, Webster quoted 'I feel like I am nineteen again when we are together, but Sian won't even look at me'. Poor Webster looks like she has been dropped along with Powers long-time friend and manager Tim Howell. LA is a bitch baby and it looks to me like Powers is settling in perfectly. _

Sian felt hurt just made out a couple of times; it was way more than that for her and she thought for Sophie too. "Nicole what do you want me to say? I haven't been in touch with anyone all weekend." Nicole was doing everything she could to shut down this website but so far wasn't succeeding. "I know Sian. I am just so pissed at this Paul Homer guy I can't find him or get his website shut down. He has a real vendetta out for you which I can't work out either. Did you did something to upset anyone recently?" Sian had upset a lot of people in her time she was sure of it but not enough for this kind of trouble.

"I have asked your lawyer to contact Sophie about speaking to the press. We can sue for this." Sian rubbed at her face feeling a headache coming on. "I don't want to sue Sophie. Let's just leave it this time and if it happens again then we can take another look at it. I just want to move on and ignore this annoying Colin guy. It's your job to block this shit." Nicole smiled. "I like this new bad tempered Sian, about time you started fighting back against me. "Well I guess everyone has a breaking point and I am getting close to mine. So how about we both get back to work."

* * *

"Sophie Webster!" Rosie hissed running into her sisters apartment to find her slumped on the sofa. "Rosie please don't shout." Rosie ignored her and proceeded to throw her phone over to her. "For someone that was mooning over Sian and your great love I don't think quotes like that will help you. That and the fact we can get sued for talking to the press!" Sophie sat up now. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuckeity Fuck!" Rosie pulled her head back like a turtle into its shell almost expecting something to fly towards her head. "It is like someone is recording me when I am speaking but then twists it completely the wrong way."

"For you being the supposed clever person in the family Soph I do wonder sometimes. Just stop talking about Sian to anyone outside the family. Someone you know is obviously selling on your tales of woo and how you feel like you are nineteen again." Rosie holds her hands up to heart to twirl as she speaks. "Piss off. Out of my flat. Out of my day." Sophie shouts wincing to herself as she storms off cursing her drinks with Amber last night. "Amber?"


End file.
